SEMINARS

Production of Radioactive Ion Beams at ORNL

by Dr Daniel Stracener (Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA)

Europe/Rome
Direzione (INFN-LNL)

Direzione

INFN-LNL

Description
The Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a national user facility funded by the DOE Office of Science and has a mandate to operate a dedicated user program in nuclear physics using exotic beams. Primary research programs include nuclear astrophysics, studies of nuclear structure far from stability, and investigations of nuclear reaction mechanisms of exotic nuclei. In general, this is accomplished using the Isotope-Separation-On-Line (ISOL) technique where radioactive nuclei are produced in a thick target, transported to an ion source, ionized, and extracted to form a radioactive ion beam (RIB). The maximum beam intensities range from about 10 microAmps for deuterons and alphas up to 20 microAmps for protons. The tandem can accelerate an extremely wide variety of species ranging from protons to uranium. More than 60 post-accelerated beams, including 132Sn, have post-accelerated intensities of at least 106 particles per second. The first RIB experiments at the HRIBF were completed in 1998 and the capability of HRIBF to deliver reaccelerated beams of neutron-rich fission fragments at energies above the Coulomb barrier is unique worldwide. An overview of the HIRBF will be presented along with examples of specific RIB development projects.