The ISOLDE facility at CERN. (ISOLDE)

This project aims at the study of the fundamental forces at

work in the nuclei of atoms. Their properties are also crucial

to answer questions related to the origin of chemical

elements and the fate of celestial objects. The strong force,

that keeps neutrons and protons together, has revealed

unexpected features that are best observed in nuclei with

an unusual balance of the two types of particles. Such

exotic, extremely short-living nuclei are produced at

dedicated facilities: ISOLDE, at CERN, is world-leading in the

range of nuclear species available for fundamental studies

and applications. The unstable atoms emit specific radiation

- a fingerprint of their properties - when decaying or when

interacting with other charged particles or photons in the

form of laser beams. With this proposal we will exploit the

opportunities available at ISOLDE, through complementary

techniques that we have developed and realised in a

number of state-of-the-art instruments where nuclei are

studied for their fundamental properties or as probes to

investigate their environment. In addition, we will explore

the production methods of new radioactive species of

interest for medical applications.