NuPECC – Long Range Plan 2010
Working Group 6
Nuclear Physics Tools and Applications
J. Benlliure (Univ. Santiago de Compostela), A. Boston (University of Liverpool), M.
Durante ( GSI Darmstadt), S. Gammino (INFN-LNS Catania), J. Gomez Camacho
(CNA, Sevilla), M. Huyse (K. U. Leuven), J. Kucera (Nuclear Physics Institute,
Rez), S. Leray (CEA/Irfu) (Convener), L. Sihver (Chalmers University), C.
Trautmann (GSI Darmstadt)
NuPECC: Ph. Chomaz (CEA/Irfu) (SC), E. Nappi (INFN-Bari) (liaison),
With contributions from : A. Aloisio (Università and INFN Napoli), M. Caccia (Università
dell’Insubria and INFN Milano), F. Javier Santos (CNA Sevilla), A. Letourneau (CEA/Irfu), P.A.
Mandò (INFN Florence), G. Pappalardo (INFN-LNS), P. Pelican (Lubljana), M.A. Respaldiza
(CNA, Sevilla), F.P. Romano (INFN-LNS), J.C. Sublet (Culham Centre, UK), M. Toulemonde
(CIMAP, Caen), C. Vockenhuber (ETH, Zurich), M. Winter (IRES, Strasbourg)
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Importance of NP applications
From the beginning of its history, nuclear physics
always closely tied to applications, in particular
energy and medicine
Marie Curie and her daughter Irène at the Hoogstade
Hospital in Belgium, 1915. Copyright © Association
Curie Joliot-Curie
The Birth of the Atomic Age was captured by Gary Sheahan to remember Enrico Fermi,
Chicago Pile-1 and the first sustained nuclear chain reaction. Used with permission of the
Chicago Historical Society.
Today, both renewed interest for certain applications
and new opportunities provided by advanced NP tools
and techniques
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Domains of applications
 Nuclear energy
 Life science and radioprotection
 Environmental and space applications
 Security
 Applications in material science and other
fundamental domains
 Cultural heritage, arts and archaeology
 New frontiers in NP tools (accelerators,
detectors, microelectronics)
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Nuclear energy
• Revival of nuclear energy (due to increase in energy
demand, need for CO2-free energies)
 Advanced options for nuclear energy generation
 Next generation fission reactors (Gen-IV)
 inherent safety
 sustainability
 economics
 proliferation resistance
MYRRHA
 Accelerator-driven sub-critical reactors
 Transmutation of nuclear waste in
dedicated systems
 Demonstrator (MYRRHA)
IFMIF
Accelerator
 Fusion reactors
 ITER, DEMO
 Material test facility (IFMIF)
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D+ Beam
(40 MeV, 2x 125 mA)
Li Target
Li Free
Surface
Test Cell
Neutrons
(~1017n/s)
10 MW
Specimens
EMP
4
Nuclear energy
• The role of nuclear physics
for accurate nuclear
232
Th(n,)
bdf photons dif fus és
bdf radioactiv ité
dn/d(lnE)
coups par bunch
 need
103
102
data for:
– Existing reactors (increase of fuel burnup, life time…)
– Fast reactors (GenIV) (new materials)
– ADS (actinide transmutation, HE data…)
– Fusion reactors (activation data, (n,xn)
for n multiplication, tritium breeding….)
101
100
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
energie de neutron (eV )
Nuclear data and models
– Measurements of cross-sections, characteristics of reaction
products, nuclear structure data ….
– Reaction models for libraries, transport codes
– Integral experiments
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Nuclear energy
• The role of nuclear physics
 Methods and tools developed
nuclear physics
for
– High-power accelerators, d-t sources….
– Advanced detector systems, electronics, modern
data analysis techniques
n_TOF BaF2 calorimeter
important infrastructures:
– n-ToF (CERN) 2nd phase with the construction of the short
flight path
– NFS at SPIRAL2 especially for fusion relevant data
– FAIR/NUSTAR: DESPEC-MATS for structure data, R3B-ELISE
for reaction studies
– HIE-ISOLDE, GANIL for surrogate reactions studies
 Education, training and know-how preservation
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Nuclear energy
• Recommendations
Support to small scale facilities and unique
installations
Fundamental studies should be encouraged
Effort on evaluation should be increased and
involvement of theoreticians in nuclear reaction
models development should be encouraged so that
European measurements contribute to European
libraries and transport codes
Improvement of the relations between fundamental
physicists,
reactor
physicists,
theoreticians,
evaluators and end-users (networking)
Coordinated European action for radioactive target
production and handling
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Life science
• Increasing use of nuclear physics tools in
medicine, both in diagnostics and therapy
 Radioisotope production
 Particle therapy
 Imaging
 Radioprotection/radiobiology
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Life science
 Radioisotope production
– 99Mo/99mTc supply and alternative methods
for 99Mo production
– β+ emitters, metal radionuclides for PET
imaging
– Production in-situ of short lived isotopes
– radiotracers in drug development
role of nuclear physics
– Production of novel radioisotopes: reaction cross-sections,
improved
production
techniques
using
e.g.
new
radiochemistry schemes, targets sustaining high intensities…
– The very high sensitivity of AMS for 14C detection permits
studies of the metabolism and kinetics of substances labeled
with very small quantities of 14C
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Life science
 Particle therapy
– Many proton centers now operating in the
world, more in preparation
– Development of carbon therapy: Heidelberg
(Germany); projects: ETOILE (France), CNAO
(Italy), MedAustron (Austria)
role of nuclear physics
– Precise nuclear data, in particular concerning the
fragmentation process (C and others)
– Appropriate nuclear models and libraries to be used in
treatment planning codes
– Development of cheaper and more compact accelerators
(e.g. plasma-based )
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Life science
Imaging
– Macroscopic imaging systems providing
anatomical and physiological information: CT,
MRI….
– Systems providing molecular, functional
information: PET, SPECT…
role of nuclear physics
– High sensitivity detectors (dose reduction)
– In beam PET and SPECT for monitoring of the dose
deposition), combination of several techniques (PET-CT,
SPECT-MRI, PET-MRI…)
– ToF techniques to allow real-time observation of the dose
delivery, reconstruction-visualisation algorithms
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Life science
 Radioprotection/radiobiology
– Accurate assessment of doses received
during medical treatment (and more generally
after some exposition)
– Understanding
of
low
dose effects:
bystander/abscopal
effects
(effects
in
cells/organs not directly exposed), hormesis
(low doses protect from high dose
exposure)…
role of nuclear physics
– Nuclear data and reaction models
– Nuclear physics tools (accelerators, isotope labeling, high
sensitivity detectors, underground laboratories….) for
radiobiology studies
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Life science
• Recommendations
 Access to beam time and adequate equipment at
NP facilities should be guarantied
Links between fundamental (physics and biology),
applied research and medical centers should be
reinforced
 Research in life science applications helps
improve the perception of NP
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Environmental and space applications
• Nuclear physics tools play an important
role in environmental applications
 Climate evolution: measurements of some
radioactive or stable nuclides
– studies of paleoclimate, ocean circulation (129I)
– CO2 exchange between atmosphere and ocean (14C)
– 10Be and 26Al with AMS for estimation of the age
and origin of sediments
 Water and food management
– dating, tracing and source identification for water
resource management, understanding of water cycle
– Sterilization,
techniques
plant
breeding
using
mutation
 Pollution control
– Tracing of contaminant in air, water…
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Environmental and space applications
• Space applications
 Radiation hazard in space
– Assessing radiation risk of astronauts on low earth orbits (ISS,
space shuttle) or on mission to the Moon or Mars due to Solar
Particle Events and Galactic Cosmic Rays
– Radiation damage to electronics (single-event upset)
 Simulation codes for radiation risk assessment
– Measurement of relevant data (p to Fe induced reactions)
– Development of nuclear reaction models
 Nuclear power sources for satellites and spacecrafts
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Environmental and space applications
• Recommendations
 profit from the strong interest in climate change
studies to (re)-build
highly trained teams, in
particular in AMS techniques
 support to cross-disciplinary projects
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Security
• Nuclear physics methods (both passive and active)
for security applications
 Detection of concealed fissionable or other
radioactive material in airports,
ship containers, trucks….
– Neutron/photon interrogation techniques
– detection of gammas, neutrons, delayed or prompt
identification of Special Nuclear Material: Pu, HEU (235U), 233U
and 237Np and suspicious radionuclides that may be associated
with: 232U, 238U, 241Am
but also of isotopes used in medical or industrial applications
 Detection of explosives
– technology based on neutron bombardment would allow
identifying the elemental composition of items packed in hold
luggage
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Security
challenges:
– high intensity portable neutron generator,
– improved spectroscopic gamma-ray scintillators, e.g.
medium energy resolution material such as cadmium zinc
telluride (CZT) and LaBr3 for Eγ up to 3MeV, Ge using gamma
tracking for location of isotopes
– development of improved non flammable neutron
scintillators with digital neutron/gamma separation
– Nuclear data (photonuclear reactions, delayed n and γ)
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Security
• Nuclear physics methods for security applications
Non-proliferation control
– Measuring traces of nuclear materials with
AMS, γ-spectrometry (also for accidental
comtamination)
High sensitivity detection methods
– Use of anti-neutrinos to control possible illicit
use of reactors (neutrino spectrum sensitive to
the composition of the fuel (Pu/U))
Depends on the achievable precision on
fission products yields, β-decay
Scheme of the Nucifer detector
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Security
• Recommendations
 Further mechanisms need to be established :
– to encourage knowledge transfer between
academic nuclear community and industry
– to protect the investment in training the younger
generation through graduated and post graduate
programmes
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Applications in material science and other fundamental domains
• Availability of ion beams of all elements (stable and
radioactive), from KeV to hundreds of GeVs and
advanced detection techniques
new
opportunities
in
materials
science,
nanotechnology, planetary and geosciences, plasma
physics…
– Understanding and characterization of material
properties
– Controlled modification and nanostructuring of
materials
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Applications in material science and other fundamental domains
• Ion beam analysis and modification with lowenergy beams (< MeV)
characterization
of
structure
properties
(ordering, occurrence of defects….)
analysis of electrical, magnetic and optical
functionalities
 properties can be controlled or modified by ion
implantation
Layers can be grown leading to new properties
at interfaces and surface
 design of hybrid materials e.g. with magnetic
and superconducting properties
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Applications in material science and other fundamental domains
• Ion beam analysis and modification with low-energy
beams (< MeV)
Using stable ions
– Nuclear reactions for depth profiling or to analyze light element
concentrations
– Proton induced x- and γ-emission, non-destructive method with a
detection limit ~ 100 ppm
Using radioactive ions (at ISOL facilities e.g. ISOLDE)
– Dynamical properties studied by recording decay of implanted
radioactivity
– Emission channeling: direction of emission sensitive to crystal
structure
Low E, low I  universities, small institutes
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Applications in material science and other fundamental domains
• Material modification with high-energy heavy-ions
beams (MeV-GeV)
Material structuring
– adjusting the structuring depth via beam energy, writing
structures with microbeams, placing individual ions at defined
positions
– ion tracks with MeV-GeV HI produces nanopores in membranes
(commercial filters, cell cultivation substrates, synthesis of
nanowires)
Tracks of 100 MeV oxygen ions from linewise
(upper pictures) and matrix irradiation
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Ion-beam produced
nanostructures
24
Applications in material science and other fundamental domains
• Material modification with high-energy heavy-ions
beams (MeV-GeV)
Materials exposed to radiation
– Characterization and control of material exposed to extreme
radiation environments (high-power accelerators, fission and
fusion reactors)
– response of solids simultaneously exposed to several extreme
conditions such as high pressure, temperature, and HE beams
– exposure to HE ion beams and high pressure important in
geosciences
(stability
of
planetary
and
geomaterials,
understanding processes in the Earth’s interior)
Samples pressurized between two diamond anvils
up to several tens of GPa irradiated with relativistic
heavy ions of sufficient kinetic energy to pass
through several mm of diamond.
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Applications in material science and other fundamental domains
• Recommendations
 fundamental understanding needed to go
beyond today’s “cook and look” approach
promising trends that should be further
promoted providing suitable beams and warranting
sufficiently frequent access to nuclear-physics
dominated facilities
 favour closer interlink between the existing
complementary facilities within Europe (e.g. FP6
ITS LEIF, FP7 SPIRIT)
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Cultural heritage, arts and archaeology
• Extensive use of nuclear physics tools (virtually nondestructive) to obtain information of archaeological and
artistic objects :
in-depth elemental analysis
dating
 Ion beam analysis techniques (IBA)
mainly at AGLAE (Louvre) and LABEC
(Florence)
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PONT44 - c118v
500
S+Pb(M)
400
Counts
– external PIXE (Particle-Induced X-ray Emission)
– PIGE (Particle-Induced Gamma-Ray Emission)
– high energy resolution detectors.
– Recent developments aiming at determining the
depth profile of the sample : confocal PIXE,
differential PIXE, deep proton activation analysis
Ca
Al
300
200
100
Na
Si
P
K
Cl
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Energy (keV)
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Cultural heritage, arts and archaeology
Neutron activation techniques
– Advantages: deep penetration, selective resonant
absorption for specific elements
– Thermal and epithermal beams at some reactors, ISIS,
ESS in the future
– Neutron Resonant Capture Imaging combined with
Neutron Resonance Transmission as a non-invasive
technique for 3D tomographic imaging
 AMS techniques
– Dating with 14C (new simpler, more compact and
cheaper generation developed at ETH Zurich using
multiple ion collisions to destroy molecular
interference)
• Recommendations
 A European network of AMS facilities
 exchange of information between the different fields
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New frontiers in Nuclear Physics tools
• Accelerators
 High-power accelerators
– Synergies between fondamental research (SPIRAL2, EURISOL) and
applications: ADS (MYRRHA), spallation sources (ESS), IFMIF…
Planned IFMIF facility
– Already a large European effort
– Further research needed in : fast cycling magnets, beam cooling
devices, highly charged ion sources, high power targets,
superconducting cavities
– Questions about reliability, beam losses still need to be solved
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New frontiers in Nuclear Physics tools
• Accelerators
 Plasma-based accelerators
– May revolutionize the field leading to much
cheaper and compact systems for instance for
hadrontherapy
– Technology not yet mature, questions about
achievable intensities, beam qualities…
 Magnets
– R&D on magnets for accelerators useful for
different industrial and medical application, in
particular for NMR applications
– To reduce cost, research on high Tc
superconducting materials necessary (e.g. V3Si)
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One of the first Silicon Photomultipliers
(SiPM) produced by IRST (Trento, Italy)
Iseult magnet (11.7 T) for NEUROPSIN
30
New frontiers in Nuclear Physics tools
• Detectors
 Advanced γ-ray spectrometers (γ tracking)
– Security, medical applications
 Micro-pattern gas detectors (Micromegas, GEM)
– High spatial resolution, large area
– High rate capabilities, radiation hardness
Direct beam imaging of a 1.2 MeV
proton beam obtained in Namur,
with a CMOS pixel detector
 3D silicon strip detectors
– Very short collection time, radiation hardness
 Monolithic active pixel sensors
– granularity and spatial resolution at the micron level
– ultra-low material budget
Principle of GEM detector
 Silicon photomultipliers
– Possibility of detecting single photons
– expected time resolution at the 100 ps level
new perspectives in different applications,
in particular medical imaging
01/06/10
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One of the first Silicon Photomultipliers
(SiPM) produced by IRST (Trento,
Italy)
31
New frontiers in Nuclear Physics tools
• Electronics
 analogical
– Si-Ge and Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) VLSI technologies
– SOI appealing for the design of monolithic active pixel sensors
(MAPS) detectors
digital
– Last generation FPGAs for transfer of data streams at rates up
to 10 Gbit/s
– perform sophisticated analysis in every node of complicated
systems
FPGA from Xilinx
FAMMAS (CEA/Saclay)
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New frontiers in Nuclear Physics tools
• Recommendations
 common European R&D platforms for accelerators
and detectors
 Research on new materials for high Tc
superconductors should be continued
Research for high-power accelerators: ion sources,
beam dynamics, reliability…
 availability and reliability of low noise and low power
electronics
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Summary
 NP finds increasing interest in a large number of
interdisciplinary fields
likely expansion of nuclear energy in the future, issue of
nuclear waste management and perspective of fusion
development of particle therapy, need for more sensitive
imaging techniques for both diagnostics and therapy and
necessity of finding new ways to produce radiopharmaceutical
isotopes
 NP tools extensively used in climate evolution studies and
water resource management, and in archaeology and cultural
heritage applications
 NP involved in assessing radiation hazard in space and in the
growing field of security related applications and nonproliferation control.
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Summary
 Progress in Nuclear Physics tools
Recent sensitivity improvement of the AMS technique has
allowed new progress in nearly all the domains of applications
 availability of ion beams of elements (stable and radioactive),
from KeV to hundreds of GeV, and advanced detection
techniques provide new opportunities in materials science,
nanotechnology, planetary and geosciences, plasma physic
The field of high-intensity accelerators largely benefits from
the synergies between studies for radioactive beam production,
ADS, IFMIF, radiopharmaceutical isotope production, and ESS.
 Research on plasma-based accelerators could lead to the
development of much more compact and cheaper machines
allowing a larger spreading of hadrontherapy
Progress in detector development offers very promising
opportunities in a lot of interdisciplinary domains, in particular
medical imaging
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General recommendations
 Numerous applications need more accurate nuclear data and
reaction models in order to complement European data libraries
and/or computer codes
necessity to perform fundamental studies
response to end-user requests
substantial effort should be put on the evaluation process so
that measurements can end up rapidly into European data
libraries
 Measurements of nuclear data and material research requires
targets or samples of high isotopic purity, which may be
radioactive
 Coordination of target production facilities, situation of
radiochemistry, and standardized procedures should be given
sufficient attention and addressed at the European level
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General recommendations
Small scale facilities as well as installations at large scale
facilities are unique within Europe
 the support for these application oriented activities should be
enforced
 beam time quota for applied research and/or dedicated
Program Advisory Committees should be considered
to keep the European cutting-edge position it is strongly
recommended to closer interlink the existing complementary
equipments and facilities.
 Networking between fundamental physicists and end-users,
networks of infrastructures (IBA, AMS or high-energy irradiation
facilities), communication with medical doctors, climate
scientists, environmental scientists, archaeologists)
transfer of trained people to nuclear industry, medical centres,
applied research organizations or governmental bodies (as
radioprotection and safety authorities)
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