| Two methods of improving the energy resolution in a solenoid-based radioactive nuclear beam (RNB) facility (TwinSol) are described in this dissertation. The test of the absorber-energy-compensation method revealed the misalignment of the TwinSol optical and magnetic axis which was further investigated using a custom-made Gafchromic RTM EBT medical X-ray film. This film was found to be ideal to image secondary RNBs in TwinSol and facilitate designing beam collimators to improve beam purity. In addition an MCP-ToF system was designed and tested along with development of a custom CAMAC-based data acquisition and analysis system. A new 32" ISO-250 vacuum chamber was designed, constructed and installed for facilitating the time-of-flight method with both intrinsic r.f. beam pulsing and cross-over timing detectors. An improved energy resolution (x 2) was obtained (ca. 1 MeV FWHM to < 0.5 MeV FWHM). The Coulomb excitation of 8Li using gold targets was measured utilizing the ToF method with the new chamber. The results are consistent with earlier TwinSol measurements indicating an unusually large B(E2)↑ for 8Li* (Ex=0.98 MeV, Jpi=1+). |
