In-source resonant ionization laser spectroscopy of the even-A polonium isotopes (192-210,216,218)Po has been performed using the 6p(3)7s (5)S(2) to 6p(3)7p (5)P(2) (λ=843.38  nm) transition in the polonium atom (Po-I) at the CERN ISOLDE facility. The comparison of the measured isotope shifts in (200-210)Po with a previous data set allows us to test for the first time recent large-scale atomic calculations that are essential to extract the changes in the mean-square charge radius of the atomic nucleus. When going to lighter masses, a surprisingly large and early departure from sphericity is observed, which is only partly reproduced by beyond mean field calculations.

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Hyperfine splitting parameters have been measured for the neutron-deficient odd-mass polonium isotopes and isomers [193][194][195][196][197][198][199][200][201][202][203] Po g,m , 209,211 Po. The measurement was performed at the ISOLDE (CERN) online mass separator using the in-source resonance ionization spectroscopy technique. The magnetic dipole moments μ and spectroscopic electric quadrupole moments Q S have been deduced. Their implication for the understanding of nuclear structure in the vicinity of the closed proton shell at Z = 82 and the neutron mid-shell at N = 104 is discussed. For the most neutron-deficient nuclei (A = 193,195,197), a deviation of μ and Q S from the nearly constant values for heavier polonium nuclei was observed. Particle-plus-rotor calculations with static oblate deformation describe the electromagnetic moments for these nuclei well, provided a gradual increase of a mean deformation when going to lighter masses is assumed for the polonium nuclei with A<198.

Graphene has potential for applications in solar cells. We show that the short circuit current density of P3HT (Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl):PCBM((6,6)-Phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester) solar cells is enhanced by 10% upon the addition of graphene, with a 15% increase in the photon to electric conversion efficiency. We discuss the performance enhancement by studying the crystallization of P3HT, as well as the electrical transport properties. We show that graphene improves the balance between electron and hole mobilities with respect to a standard P3HT:PCBM solar cell.

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