Speaker
Description
During the Long Shutdown 2, CERN has connected the LINAC 4 to its accelerator complex and as well upgraded the PS Booster to be able to cope with the new LINAC proton beam energy (160 MeV), and acceleration of the protons up to 2.0 GeV (instead of up to 1.4 GeV as it was in the past). However for the moment, the transfer beam line connecting to ISOLDE (BTY) is not being prepared for 2.0 GeV and ISOLDE will still receive proton energies up to 1.4 GeV. Nonetheless, within the PS Booster upgrade it is possible that the proton beam maximum intensity available to ISOLDE will also be upgraded from 2.2 μA to 3 or even 4 μA. In the next long shutdown affecting ISOLDE (LS3 in 2024), the opportunity arises to upgrade the BTY line so it can deliver 2.0 GeV protons to ISOLDE.
In this talk, the main advantages of upgrading the primary beam of ISOLDE from 1.4 to 2.0 GeV will be detailed. The estimated yield gains across the nuclear chart, using simulation codes such as ABRABLA and FLUKA, for UCx, Ta target materials and the neutron converter and a few other materials will be shown together with particular isotope examples. On the intensity increase subject, measurements will be presented showing that using a longer proton pulse (increased space between bunches, STAGISO) instead of the standard pulses (NORMISO) has no influence in the release of isotopes. This has the advantage of reducing the peak power deposited in ISOLDE targets, possibly prolonging their lifetime.