Schottky detection techniques for ultra-rare short-lived ions in heavy-ion storage rings

Non-destructive Schottky detectors are indispensable devices widely used in experiments at heavy-ion storage rings. In particular, they can be used to accurately determine the masses and lifetimes of short-lived exotic nuclear species. Single-ion sensitivity – which is the highest level of sensitivity – has been regularly achieved in the past by utilizing resonant cavity detectors. Recent designs and analysis methods aim to push the limits of measurement accuracy by increasing the dimensionality of the acquired data, namely, the position of the particle as well as the phase difference between several detectors. This paper describes current methods and future perspectives for Schottky detection techniques, with a focus on their application to mass and lifetime measurements of the most rare and simultaneously short-lived radio nuclides.