Targets used in the production of radioactive ion beams at the HRIBF

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Vol. 521; no. 1; pp. 126 - 135
• Main Authors: Stracener, D.W, Alton, G.D, Auble, R.L, Beene, J.R, Mueller, P.E, Bilheux, J.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 21-03-2004
• Subjects: ISOL target; Isotope separation; Liquid target; Radioactive beams; RIB production targets; Thick target; 01.52.+r; Radioactive beams; Isotope separation; Liquid target; Thick target; 29.25.Ni; 29.25.Rm; 29.25.−t; ISOL target; RIB production targets
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2003.11.142

Radioactive ion beams are produced at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility using the Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) technique where the atoms are produced in a thick target, transported to an ion source, ionized, and extracted from the ion source to form an ion beam. These radioactive ion beams are then accelerated to energies of a few MeV per nucleon and delivered to experimental stations for use in nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics experiments. At the heart of this facility is the RIB production target, where the radioactive nuclei are produced using beams of light ions (p, d,
3He, α) to induce nuclear reactions in the target nuclei. Several target materials have been developed and used successfully, including Al
2O
3, HfO
2, SiC, CeS, liquid Ge, liquid Ni, and a low-density matrix of uranium carbide. The details of these targets and some of the target developments that led to the delivery of high-quality radioactive ion beams are discussed in this paper.