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.