Project of a Next-generation ISOL Facility for Exotic Beams at LNL
In the framework of the European program to define a second generation Radioactive Ion Beam facility, LNL are proposing the construction in the next five-seven years of a specialized national facility for RIB originated by fission fragments produced by secondary neutrons. It consists on a two-accelerator ISOL-type facility to provide intense neutron-rich radioactive ion beams of highest quality, in the range of masses between 80 and 160. The conceptual design is based on a high intensity 50 MeV (100 kW) proton linac as driver and on the availability of the heavy-ion accelerator ALPI as post accelerator. The estimated neutron yield is 2 x 10 n/s at 0, high enough to satisfy the demand for an advanced RIB facility. An intense R\&D program on different items is actually in progress in collaboration with other Laboratories and University groups and is moving in a European context.
PROTOTYPE OF HIGH TEMPERATURE INTENSE NEUTRON TARGET
The design of the prototype of high temperature neutron target is proposed as well as the experimental test program. The prototype comprises the rotating disk with the graphite rim fixed. The main goal of experiments is the thermo-mechanical test of the prototype in the heating regime close to operating one. The prototype heating is carrying out by the high power electron beam.
rPET detectors design and data processing
Small animal PET systems based on rotating planar detectors posses some interesting advantages for high sensitivity, high resolution imaging. We have designed the rPET detectors based on MLS crystals assembled on a 30times30 matrix optically coupled to a flat-panel PS-PMT. Weighted position readout circuits pre-process the 64 signals from the 8times8 anodes matrix, which are digitized using a charge-integrating converter. The amplification electronics, including the trigger output for coincidence detection, and the high voltage supply are integrated in a three PCBs stack that forms the base attached to the back of the PMT. The whole assembly is enclosed in a light tight, lead (Pb) shielded aluminum box. The detectors are mounted on a rotating gantry with more than 180 degrees rotation span. The digitized events are screened and histogramed, and a modified center of gravity algorithm removes from the position calculation those signals with poor signal to noise ratio. Apparent mean crystal size on the 511 keV field-flood images is 0.6 mm, mean peak-to-valley ratio is better than 8, and intrinsic resolution is 1.5 mm at the central row, with the energy window wide open. Sensitivity (CPS) for a pair of these detectors set in coincidence at 160 mm distance is 1%