Carbon stripper foils for high current heavy ion operation

For the proposed new heavy ion linac@GSI the installation of a carbon foil stripper section is under discussion. High duty factor as well as high current (but low duty factor) heavy ion beams were used for machine experiments. Long term tests were performed to check the carbon foil durability. Relevant beam parameters have been measured in three measurement campaigns. After beam testing stripper foils were analyzed with different offline methods. Additionally promising results of high current beam irradiation of rotating target wheels will be presented. In the transfer line to the SIS 18 the heavy ion beam is stripped to higher charge states in a thick carbon foil. The stripper foil is loaded with 3 % of the beam power. To avoid evaporation in a single beam pulse, the beam is rapidly swept over its width. Experiences collected during the last decade of foil stripper operation at GSI will be presented.     

Sputtering angle effects by Kr mixing in N+ ion beam on the lifetime of nitrided carbon stripper foils

Nitrided carbon stripper (NCS) foils with high nitrogen content were produced by ion beam sputtering of reactive nitrogen gas. Such foils seem to be very useful as strippers in high-intensity heavy ion accelerators. We have conducted comprehensive research, development, and production of such foils with high reproducibility. Krypton, a heavy noble gas, was mixed with the reaction nitrogen gas (IBSRN) in the ion beam sputtering process to produce stripper foils with short sputtering deposition time and long lifetimes in the high intensity ion beam irradiation. With the (N₂ + Kr) mixed gas ions we investigated the influence of different sputtering angles (α) on the lifetime of the NCS-foils in case of poly-graphite material. The lifetime measurement of these foils of 20 ± 5 μg/cm² was performed with a 3.2 MeV Ne⁺ ion beam as usual. The foils made at a sputtering angle of 15° showed a maximum of 11.0 and 7.5  C/cm² average charge density, respectively, which corresponded to about 275 and 187 times the lifetime of the best commercially available foils.     

Multi-layer stripper foils containing boron, PLD and CVD produced diamond-like carbon

The Applied Technology Group at TRIUMF operates three accelerators, TR30-1, TR30-2 and CP42 that use 30 MeV proton beams in the generation of commercial radioisotopes. These cyclotrons typically use diamond-like carbon (DLC) stripper foils produced in house of between 2.0 and 3.0 μm to extract particle beams from these cyclotrons. Micromatter (formerly the TRIUMF Carbon Foil Laboratory) manufactures DLC foils in a range of thicknesses from 10 nm to ~10 μm using pulsed laser deposition. Continuing our previous work ‘(Zeisler and Jaggi Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res A 613:434, 2010)’ we further investigated the presence of boron in multilayer DLC foils, specifically DLC/boron/DLC hybrid foils. In this work, we investigated the mechanical properties and lifetime of these stripper foils in cyclotrons with varying thicknesses and boron content as well as a special DLC layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition and find an improvement in flexibility, mechanical strength and lifetime.     

Recent progress of high-power negative ion beam development for fusion plasma heating

A negative-ion-based neutral beam injector (N-NBI) has been constructed for JT-60U. The N-NBI is designed to inject 500 keV, 10 MW neutral beams using two ion sources, each producing a 500 keV, 22 A D⁻ ion beam. In the preliminary experiment using one ion source, a D⁻ ion beam of 13.5 A has been successfully accelerated with an energy of 400 keV (5.4 MW) for 0.12 s at an operating pressure of 0.22 Pa. This is the highest D⁻ beam current and power in the world. Co-extracted electron current was effectively suppressed to the ratio of Ie/I_D⁻ < 1. The highest energy beam of 460 keV, 2.4 A, 0.44 s has also been obtained. To realize 1 MeV class NBI system for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), demonstration of ampere class negative ion beam acceleration up to 1 MeV is an important mile stone. To achieve the mile stone, a prototype accelerator and a 1 MV, 1 A test facility called MeV Test Facility (MTF) were constructed. Up to now, an H⁻ ion beam was accelerated up to the energy of 805 keV with an acceleration drain current of 150 mA for 1 s in a five stage electrostatic multi-aperture accelerator.     

Development of a new foil compounded from carbon nanotubes and sputter-deposition carbon

New carbon-nanotube–sputter-deposition-carbon (CNT–SDC) foils were developed and used in the U beam time at the RIKEN RI Beam Factory (RIBF) from October to December 2011. The lifetimes of these new foils were drastically extended, and stable, high-intensity U beams were successfully provided to users. The lifetime of the CNT–SDC foils was 2–5 C, which was 100 times longer than those of static C-foils previously used. The qualitative analysis of the CNT–SDC foils clearly showed that the CNT structure and bundles were broken by beam irradiation. In addition, it was found that CNT bundles in the CNT–SDC foil were grown after the carbon deposition procedure. This structure was considered to be the reason that the CNT–SDC foils maintain advantages of both CNT and SDC foils.     

On the history of cluster beams

The methods to produce and investigate cluster beams have been developed primarily with the use of permanent gases. A summary is given of related work carried out at Marburg and Karlsruhe. The report deals with the effect of carrier gases on cluster beam production; ionization, electrical acceleration and magnetic deflection of cluster beams; the retarding potential mass spectrometry of cluster beams; cluster size measurement by atomic beam attenuation; reflection of cluster beams at solid surfaces; scattering properties of⁴He and³He clusters; the application of cluster beams in plasma physics, and the reduction of space charge problems by acceleration of cluster ions.     

Ultra-low intensity electron beams of a linear accelerator for irradiation

Ultra-low intensity electron pulsed beams for irradiation have been developed by the use of the electron linear accelerator at Radiation Research Center of Osaka Prefecture University. The energy and the pulse width of the beams are about 4–12 MeV and 0.5–4 μs, respectively. The minimum beam charge has been estimated to be about several aC/pulse. These electrons are basically mono energetic, controllable, collimated and synchronized with the master oscillator of the accelerator, which are favorable features for various uses compared with β-ray sources. Especially, the system is suitable for evaluation of response of radiation detectors. In this study, the response of the TLD for high energetic electron irradiation was also evaluated by the use of these electrons.     

Application of the 30 MeV microtron for gamma and neutron activation analysis

Based on studies of variable multiplicity electron acceleration, the power-current microtron, a cyclic electron accelerator up to energies of 30–35 MeV has been developed at the Institute on Physical Problems of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. The 1–1.5 kW electron beam of the microtron is comparable to the power output of modern linear accelerators operating at similar energies. At the same time, the microtron has a number of significant advantages, due to the simplicity of design of both accelerator and ultrahigh-frequency tract, the high efficiency of ultrahigh-frequency power utilization, good operating characteristics, strictly monochromatic electron beams (variations not exceeding ±50 keV at 30 MeV) and the possibility of continuously changing particle energy as required by the given experimental task.     

Trace elemental analysis of Nigerian crude oils by INAA using miniature neutron source reactor

Copper foils of 10 and 20 mm thickness were exposed to deuteron beams of 2.0 and 2.5 MeV. To avoid structural damage of the targets by high beam intensities, during extended irradiation periods of at least ten hours, liquid nitrogen was used as a refrigerant. Under these conditions equilibrium temperatures of less than 100 °C were achieved. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fluence measurements applied to 5–20 MeV/amu ion beam dosimetry by simultaneous use of a total-absorption calorimeter and a Faraday cup

A Faraday cup was fabricated for measuring the beam current of a few tens MeV/amu ion beams of the TIARA AVF cyclotron. It has been applied as a beam monitor for studying the characteristics of film dosimeters that are well-established for high doses of ⁶⁰Co γ-rays and 1 to 10 MeV electrons. A total absorption calorimeter designed to measure energy fluence has also been tested for estimating the uncertainty in fluence measurement of 5–20 MeV/amu ion beams, by simultaneous use of the calorimeter and the Faraday cup in a broad uniform fluence field. The estimated fluence was evaluated on the basis of nominal particle energy values derived from the cyclotron acceleration parameters. The average ratio of the measured fluence values to the estimated values is 1.024, and the average precision is within ±2% at a 68% confidence level, for most of the ion beams with a range of kinetic energy per nucleon, 5–20 MeV/amu, at an integrated charge above 5 nC/cm².     

Dose control in electron beam processing: Comparison of results from a graphite charge collector, routine dosimeters and the ISS alanine-based dosimeter

A 12 MeV linear accelerator is currently used for electron beam processing of power semiconductor devices for lifetime control and, on an experimental basis, for food irradiation, sludge treatment etc. In order to control the irradiation process a simple, quick and reliable method for a direct evaluation of dose and fluence in a broad electron beam has been developed. This paper presents the results obtained using a “charge collector” which measures the charge absorbed in a graphite target exposed in air. Calibration of the system with super-Fricke dosimeter and comparison of absorbed dose results obtained with plastic dosimeters and alanine pellets are discussed.     

Track etch membranes (TEMs) for separation sciences from BARC-TIFR Pelletron accelerator

Track etch membranes (TEMs) program at 14 UD Pelletron accelerator at TIFR, Mumbai, India using 25 micron thick polyethylene terepthalate film is described. Large scale preparation of TEMs by scanning heavy ion beams using a electromagnetic scanner and rolling mechanism using a geared D.C. motor and vacuum rotary feed through are presented. The selection of ions of suitable energy and etching parameters for making various pore sizes were investigated using Rutherford scattered beam from Pelletron accelerator. Pore size and pore density were measured using scanning electron microscope. Scanning width up to 35 cm and irradiation up to 22 m were successfully carried out using this facility. Some applications carried out using these membranes are also mentioned.     

Current and charge collector as e beam energy and dose meter for industrial use

Many parameters of interest for characterizing a high power processing electron beam in air can be measured using a charge density detector system.

A rugged detector head placed in or moved through an electron beam may be used to measure the effective beam energy, current density within the beam and charge delivered to the product plane.

The liquid cooled detector may also be used to calibrate routine dosimeter for electron beam use over the full range of doses and dose rates currently used for industrial purposes.

Further uses for the detector as an accelerator control sensor element are also discussed.     

Quantitative monitoring of the stripper foil degradation in the 3-GeV rapid cycling synchrotron of the Japan proton accelerator research complex

A hybrid-type boron doped carbon stripper foil of 200 μg/cm² is used for the present H^? injection beam energy of 181 MeV in the 3-GeV rapid cycling synchrotron (RCS) of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). A stripper foil has a certain lifetime and usually lifetime goes shorter for high power operation. Foil degradation such as foil thinning and pinhole formation caused by the radiation might be a signal of the foil breaking. As a result, one can avoid sudden foil breaking by an efficient monitoring of the foil degradation. We have succeeded measuring even a little change of the stripper foil thickness during user operation of the RCS. It is the main motivation of the present study. A single foil was irradiated with a total of 2.7 × 10²¹ particles (injected H^? itself) during 4 months continuous operation of the RCS but we did not observe any indication of the foil degradation.     

Preparation and characterization of nanometer‐thin freestanding polymer foils for laser‐ion acceleration

We report on the production and characterization of polymer‐based ultra‐thin (sub 10 nm) foils suited for experiments on laser‐ion acceleration in the regime of radiation pressure acceleration. Beside the remarkable mechanical stability compared with commonly used diamond‐like‐carbon foils, a very homogeneous layer thickness and a small surface roughness have been achieved. We describe the technical issues of the production process as well as detailed studies of the mechanical stability and surface roughness tests. The capability of producing uniform targets of large area is essential for advanced laser‐ion acceleration projects which are dealing with high repetition rate and extended measurement series, but might also be useful for other applications which require ultra‐thin and freestanding substrates of high quality. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013 , 51, 1355–1360     

Measurement of isomeric yield ratios for 93Nb(??,4n)89m,gNb and natMo(??,xn1p)95m,gNb reactions with 50-, 60-, and 70-MeV bremsstrahlung

We measured the isomeric yield ratios for the photonuclear reactions of ⁹³Nb(??,4n)^89m,gNb and ^natMo(??,xnp)^95m,gNb by using the activation method. The high-purity ⁹³Nb and ^natMo metallic foils in disc shape were irradiated with uncollimated bremsstrahlung beams of 50-, 60-, and 70-MeV generated from an electron linear accelerator in Pohang Accelerator Laboratory. The induced activities in the irradiated foils were measured by the high-resolution ??-ray spectrometry with a calibrated high-purity Germanium (HPGe) detector coupled to a PC-based 4?K multichannel analyzer. The reaction ⁹³Nb(??,4n)^89m,gNb was studied for the first time which has no comparable literature data. The result of ^95m,gNb isomeric pair was measured based on (??,p), (??,np), and (??,2np) reactions which is the first measurement at the intermediate energy region of 50?C70-MeV with a ^natMo target.     

Time-resolved spectroscopy at the picosecond laser-triggered electron accelerator ELYSE

ELYSE is a fast kinetics center created for pulse radiolysis with picosecond time-resolution. The facility is a 4–9 MeV electron accelerator using a subpicosecond laser pulse to produce an electron pulse from a Cs₂Te semiconductor photocathode and RF gun technology for the electron acceleration. The pulse duration is around 5 ps at low charge (<2 nC) and high energy (9 MeV), and is under routine conditions 10 ps at higher charge (5 nC) and >8 MeV. The dark current at the target is less than 1% of the pulse photocurrent.Time-resolved absorbance measurements in cells placed in front of the electron beam are achieved using pulsed laser diodes, or a xenon flash lamp as light sources, and photodiodes connected to a 3 GHz transient digitizer or a streak camera (250–800 nm range and 3.7 ps time resolution) as detection instruments. In addition, the synchronization between the laser beam and the electron beam is exploited to measure the absorbance by a pump-probe set-up, the pump being the electron pulse produced by the laser pulse, and the probe being part of the laser beam (120 fs–3 ps) delayed by a variable optical line.     

Study of the isomeric ratios in 107Ag(γ, n)106m,gAg reaction of natural silver induced by bremsstrahlungs with endpoint energies in the giant dipole resonance region

We measured for the first time the isomeric ratios in ¹⁰⁷Ag(γ, n)^106m,gAg reaction by using the activation method and γ-ray spectroscopic method for the whole giant dipole resonance region. The high-purity natural Ag foils in disc shape were irradiated with bremsstrahlungs generated from an electron accelerator Microtron. The induced gamma spectra in the irradiated foils were measured by the high resolution γ-ray spectroscopic system which consists of a high-purity germanium detector and a multichannel analyzer. In order to improve the accuracy of the experimental results, necessary corrections were made in the γ-ray activity measurements and data analysis. The results were analyzed, discussed and compared with those of other authors. For the above mentioned reaction, the isomeric ratios in the energy range from 14 to 24 MeV bremsstrahlungs in this work (except the values at 14, 18 and 20) are new measurements.     

Ultra-thin polymer foils for laser-ion acceleration

We report on the development of new materials for laser-ion acceleration applicable for the advanced mechanism of radiation-pressure-acceleration. These targets are ultra-thin with thicknesses of just a few nm. For several years, diamond-like carbon foils in this thickness range can be produced. An alternative material containing more than one ion-species has the potential to further improve the acceleration mechanism. The fabrication and characterization of self-supporting polymer-based targets will be described in this paper. Furthermore, we show the significant influence on a radiation-pressure induced acceleration process by experimental data.     

Near K-edge measurement of the X-ray attenuation coefficient of heavy elements using a tuneable X-ray source based on an electron LINAC

The X-ray attenuation coefficients of bismuth and of uranium were measured in the regions of 40–240 and 70–240 keV, respectively, using a tuneable hard X-ray source based on the linear electron accelerator at the University of Ghent. Results were compared with the semi-empirical values of Storm and Israel and to the theoretical values of Berger and Hubbell. We also propose a simple function for the attenuation coefficient in the vicinity of the K-edge for uranium and in an extended range of energy for bismuth. The set-up of the source at Ghent is described and the future improvements are explained.