Speaker
Description
The n_TOF facility houses CERN’s pulsed neutron source, comprising two beam lines of different flight paths (at ≈185 and ≈19 m) and one activation station. It is driven by the 20 GeV proton beam delivered by the Proto-Synchrotron accelerator impinging on a lead spallation target.
The energy resolution and the high instantaneous neutron flux are key factors to increase the signal-to-background ratio, crucial aspect when measuring radioactive isotopes.
Isotopes with half-lives higher than hundreds of days available in a sufficient amount of mass can be measured using the time-of-flight technique, while the activation technique can be applied in more challenging physics cases.
Over the last 25 years of operation of the n_TOF facility a collaboration with several laboratories (CERN-Isolde, Ill, JRC-Geel, Los Alamos, PSI) able to isolate desired isotopes has been fruitfully established.
Measurements of neutron induced reactions on short-lived isotopes are of interest of nuclear astrophysics (i- and primordial nucleosynthesis) and highly required for applications to emerging nuclear technology.
A review of past measurements (e.g on sample of 7Be, 63Ni, 78Se, 171Tm, 204Tl) and the prospects of an upgraded facility will be presented.
