High-resolution spectroscopy of ion beams

Abstract

Collinear laser-beam/ion-beam spectroscopy provides a collision-free environment in which to study atomic and molecular ions. Ion-beam spectroscopy has particular advantages over other methods: spectra are relatively simple due to mass selection; kinematics allow sub-Doppler resolution of the whole velocity distribution; and the Doppler effect can be used to tune ions into resonance with fixed frequency light sources. We consider methods by which spectra have been obtained and review important results of ion-beam spectroscopy in fields from nuclear physics to astrophysical chemistry.