Speaker
Description
The growing demand for more intense and diverse exotic beams has driven the development of a new high-temperature ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) target for the SPIRAL1 (Système de Production d’Ions Radioactifs Accélérés en Ligne) facility at GANIL (Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds). The primary objective is to enhance the production yields of several radioactive isotopes of physical interest while ensuring compatibility with the thermal and mechanical constraints of the Target-Ion Source System (TISS).
Currently, radioactive isotopes at SPIRAL1 are produced using primary beams ranging from $^{12}$C to $^{238}$U (< 95 MeV/u, < $2\times10^{13}$ pps), impinging on a graphite target to induce beam fragmentation. To improve the production efficiency and expand the isotope diversity, alternative target materials are being investigated to replace graphite. This new target material will be used with a $^{12}$C primary beam to induce target fragmentation.
Several candidate materials—including Nb, ZrO$_2$, and Y$_2$O$_3$—were selected based on bibliographic research of ISOL target materials and theoretical estimations of isotope production cross-sections. Their suitability is being assessed by analyzing diffusion and effusion characteristics using literature data. Numerical simulations will be carried out using a parametric thermal model developed in ANSYS to evaluate the steady-state temperature distribution within targets of different geometries and compositions. These simulations will provide an insight into the expected release efficiencies as the produced isotope effusion and diffusion depend of the material properties, thermal gradients, microstructure and geometry of the target. In parallel, high-temperature stability and chemical compatibility of the selected materials are being investigated to ensure reliable operation under SPIRAL1 conditions.
Based on these studies, a prototype target will be co-designed in collaboration with GANIL’s mechanical engineering division. This prototype aims to experimentally validate the thermal and mechanical performance of the proposed materials under realistic irradiation conditions. Iterative optimization informed by simulation data will guide the final geometry design.
This development is a key component of the broader effort to expand GANIL’s radioactive ion beam capabilities. It supports the long-term objective of delivering a wider range of exotic beams for nuclear physics and interdisciplinary research, including future experiments at the SPIRAL2-DESIR low-energy facility.
| Email address | sophie.hurier@ganil.fr |
|---|---|
| Classification | Isotope production, target, and ion source techniques |
