A superconducting beta spectrometer.

We have designed and constructed a superconducting beta spectrometer with a momentum resolution of about 2% and a peak solid angle of 0.5 sr. The performance of the spectrometer is described and the results of calibrations with line sources are presented.

Revalidation of the isobaric multiplet mass equation.

We have determined the energy of the J(pi) = 1/2(+), T = 3/2 resonance in 32S(p,p) to be E(p) = 3374.7+/-0.8 keV.

Direct measurement of the L/K ratio in (7)Be electron capture.

The ratio of L- to K-shell electron captures in light nuclei is particularly sensitive to electron overlap and exchange effects. Calculations of these effects in (7)Be disagree by more than 20%. We report a measurement of the L/K ratio in (7)Be, using a cryogenic microcalorimeter which clearly separates L- and K-shell captures.

A magneto-optical trap loaded from a pyramidal funnel.

We have demonstrated the transfer of 39 K and 40 K atoms from a magneto-optical funnel (a hollow pyramidal mirror) through a low (0:05 l/s) conductance hole and into a conventional magneto-optical trap (mot) 35 cm away, with an efficiency of approximately six percent. This simple scheme should be useful for experiments requiring high loading rates with minimal contamination from hot untrapped atoms.