Soreq
Low energy particle
accelerators activities
in Israel
Dan Berkovits
April 10th 2014
RECFA meeting @ TAU
1
Soreq
Outline
 VdG ion accelerators at the Weizmann
Institute of Science
 Soreq Applied Research Accelerator
Facility (SARAF)
 HUJI involvement in CLIC
2
Soreq
The 3 MV Van de Graaff Accelerator at the
Weizmann Institute
TECHNICAL
• 3 MV
• p,d,3He and 4He beams
• Up to 10 mA particle current on target
• Three beam lines for experiments
• Easy operation
SCIENTIFIC
• Low-energy nuclear reactions for
astrophysics
• Neutrons via d-induced reactions on LiF
• Radioactive nuclei production
• Detector development
• Implantation for optical wave guides
3
Soreq
14 MV Tandem VdG accelerator @ WIS
1976-2007
• Acceleration of all ions from
protons (28 MeV) to actinides
• First 15 years: nuclear physics
• Last 20 years: accelerator mass
spectrometry, coulomb explosion
imaging of molecules and space
devices radiation damage
4
G. Goldring, M. Hass
and M. Paul, Nuclear
Physics News, Vol. 14,
No. 3 (2004) 3-13
Soreq
The DANGOOR Research Accelerator
Mass Spectrometry Laboratory @ WIS
0.5 MV Tandem Pelletron for 14C dating
1 PhD Physics + 4 PhD users + 5 PhD students in Archaeology and Anthropology
5
http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Dangoor/home
Soreq
SARAF
Soreq Applied Research
Accelerator Facility
6
Soreq
SARAF – Soreq Applied Research
Accelerator Facility
 To enlarge the experimental nuclear
science infrastructure and promote
research in Israel
 To develop and produce radioisotopes
for bio-medical applications
 To modernize the source of neutrons at
Soreq and extend neutron based
research and applications
7
Soreq
SARAF Accelerator Complex
Parameter
Value
Comment
Ion Species
Protons/Deuterons
M/q ≤ 2
Energy Range
5 – 40 MeV
Variable energy
Current Range
0.04 – 5 mA
CW (and pulsed)
Operation
6000 hours/year
Reliability
90%
Maintenance
Hands-On
Very low beam loss
Phase
I - 2009
Phase
II
 superconducting
RF
linear
8
accelerator
Soreq
 Phase-I accelerator
Radiopharmaceutical
linac
R&D
Target
Hall
(2019)
Phase-II accelerator
Thermal
n source
40 m
radiography
diffractometer
9
Soreq
Nuclear Physics status in Israel
 Until a few years ago, there was a clear decrease of
the number of nuclear physics researchers and
students in Israel
 Senior researchers in Israeli academia formulated
recommendations for improvement, which include the
construction of SARAF as a world-class domestic
scientific infrastructure that will attract new
researchers and students
 In recent years we observe a trend reversal, which is
attributed also to the expectations for the construction
of SARAF
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Soreq
SARAF Scientific Research Potential
1. Search for physics beyond the Standard Model
2. Nuclear Astrophysics
3. Exploration of exotic nuclei
4. High-energy neutron induced cross sections
5. Neutron based material research
6. Neutron based therapy
7. Development of new radiopharmaceuticals
8. Accelerator based neutron imaging
11
I. Mardor, “SARAF - The Scientific Objectives”, SNRC Report #4413, May 2013
Soreq
Fast neutrons
Spallation vs. stripping spectra
Spallation
Direct+stripping
40 MeV d-Li vs. 1400 MeV p-W,
0 deg forward spectra,
8 cm downstream the primary target
Area optimal
for the (n,a)
(n,p) (n,2n) (n,f)
12
10 x d+T
generator
T. Hirsh PhD. WIS thesis 2012, T. Stora et al. EPL (2012) and D. Berkovits et al. LINAC12
Soreq
SARAF Phase II - “Day 1” (1/1)
 40 MeV 5 mA CW protons and deuterons
 Two-stage irradiation target for light exotic nuclei (e.g., 6He, 8Li,
17-23Ne)
 M. Hass et al., J. Phys. G. 35 (2008), T. Hirsh et al., J. Phys. NPA 337 (2012)
 Traps (e.g., EIBT, MOT) for study of exotic nuclei and beyond SM physics

S. Vaintraub et al. J. of Physics 267 (2011), O. Aviv et al. J. of Physics 337 (2012)
 Liquid lithium target for fast and epi-thermal neutrons



Nuclear astrophysics, BNCT, neutron induced cross sections
G. Feinberg et. al., Nucl. Phys. A 337 (2012), Phys. Rev. C 85 (2012)
S. Halfon et al. App. Rad. Isot. 69 (2011), RSI 84 (2013), RSI submitted (2014)
e
e+
nucleus
q
G. Ron HUJI
13
Much room for improvement on
Ne, towards per-mill precision
M. Paul HUJI
ne
MACS with 1011 n/sec –
100 times FZ Karlsruhe
Soreq
SARAF Phase II - “Day 1” (1/2)
 40 MeV 5 mA CW protons and deuterons
 Neutron based radiography, tomography and diffractometry
 I. Sabo-Napadensky et al. JINST (2012)
 Radiopharmaceutical research and development

I. Silverman et al. AccApp (2013), R. Sasson et. al. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. (2010)
 Neutron induced radiation damage on small samples and low statistic
Thermal neutron
source
9Be(d,xn)
Replacement of the Soreq
5MW research reactor
H. Hirshfeld et al. Soreq NRC #3793 (2005), NIM A (2006)
14
Soreq
Nuclear physics groups @ Phase-I
subject
Inter stellar nucleosynthesis
b decay study of exotic nuclei in traps for beyond
SM physics
Neutrons destruction of 7Be to Solve the
Primordial 7Li Problem
Accelerator based BNCT
Generation IV reactors neutron cross section
Deuterons cross section measurements
15
P.I.
Institute
M. Paul
Hebrew University
A. Shor
SNRC
M. Hass
Weizmann Institute
G. Ron
Hebrew University
T. Hirsh
SNRC
M. Gai
U. Conn and Yale
D. Schumann
PSI
T. Stora
ISOLDE-CERN
L. Weissman
SNRC
M. Paul
Hebrew University
M. Hass
Weizmann Institute
M. Paul
Hebrew University
M. Srebnik
D. Steinberg
Hadasa HUJI
A. Plompen
F.-J. Hambsch
IRMM-JRC
A. Shor
SNRC
A. Kreisel
L. Weissman
SNRC
J. Mrazek
NPI-Rez
# of
students
3
4
3
1
1
Soreq
SARAF Phase II - Subsequent Upgrades
 20 MeV/u sub-mA CW a
~109 fission fragments / sec
 b-NMR and more (e.g.,
COLTRIM, Reaction Microscope)
 Thin 238U target + gas extraction
+ ECR + MR-TOF (IGISOL)
 Liquid D2O target for quasimono-energetic fast neutrons
 Cold and ultra-cold neutrons
 ~3 MV post accelerator + gas
(He) target
 A compact 4p n detector for
distinct-spectra of n and anti-n
 Acceleration of heavier ions, to
higher MeV/u
>300 n events / sec
Soreq
Designed and built by RI/Accel
SARAF Phase-I 176 MHz linac
LEBT
RFQ
PSM
EIS
7m
Beam
2500 mm
6 HWR b=0.09, 0.85 MV, 60 Hz/mbar
3 Solenoids 6T, separated vacuum
protons 4 MeV, deuterons 5 MeV
4-rod, 250 kW, 4 m, 1.5 MeV/u
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P. Fischer et al., EPAC06
M. Pekeler, LINAC 2006
Soreq
SARAF phase-I linac – upstream view
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A. Nagler, Linac2006
K. Dunkel, PAC 2007
C. Piel, PAC 2007
C. Piel, EPAC 2008
A. Nagler, Linac 2008
J. Rodnizki, EPAC 2008
J. Rodnizki, HB 2008
I. Mardor, PAC 2009
A. Perry, SRF 2009
I. Mardor, SRF 2009
L. Weissman, DIPAC 2009
L. Weissman, Linac 2010
J. Rodnizki, Linac 2010
D. Berkovits, Linac 2012
L. Weissman, RuPAC 2012
Soreq
SARAF Phase-I linac status
Difficulties and challenges at high energy are caused by instabilities and
space charge effects at the low energy front end
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (Laozi 604 bc - 531 bc)
 SARAF Phase-I is the first to demonstrate:
2 mA CW variable energy protons beam
Acceleration of ions through HWR SC cavities
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1.5 mA CW proton irradiation of a liquid lithium
jet target for neutron production
Baseline scheme
with extended capabilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
2 injection lines for H,D, He and A/q=2 ions
SARAF scheme up to 60 MeV/q
IPNO scheme from 60 to 140 MeV/q
CEA scheme from 140 to 1000 MeV/q
cw beam splitting at 1 GeV
Total length of the linac: ~240 m
4 MW
H-
H-
RFQ
176 MHz
A. Facco
20
36
b=0.3
b=0.47
140 MeV/q
10
b=0.09
b=0.15
Elliptical
704 MHz
3-SPOKE
352 MHz
60 MeV/q
1.5 MeV/u
H+,D+,
3He++
HWR
176 MHz
31
1 GeV/q
B stripper
b=0.65 b=0.78
>200 MeV/q
D, A/q=2
63
100 kW
H+, 3He2+
foil
stripper
97
Proceedings of LINAC08, Victoria, BC, Canada
Soreq
SARAF accelerator technology knowledge
involvement in European large facilities
 EURISOL DS – FP7
 SPIRAL2PP – FP7
 b-beam
 and more
21
Soreq
SARAF Summary
 SARAF requires a new type of an accelerator
 SARAF Phase-I is in routine operation with mA CW proton
beams
 Targets for high-intensity low-energy beams are under
development and operation
 Experiments at nuclear astrophysics and nuclear medicine
are ongoing
 Local SARAF Phase-I team: 7 PhD researchers at
accelerator and targets development, 6 PhD students in
nuclear physics and technologies and similar numbers at the
users side in the universities, NDT community and
radiopharmaceuticals laboratory
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Physical mechanism for
high-gradient breakdown
Yinon Ashkenazy, Michael Assaf, Inna Popov, Sharon Adar
Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
Walter Wuench group, CLIC, CERN
Modeling origins of high gradient breakdown
• HG breakdown has a deterministic role in LINAC design. Recently it
was suggested that mechanical stress leads to the creation of
“surface emitters” but the mechanism leading to their formation is
remains unknown thus, the search for improved LINAC cavity
material is empirical.
• We employ stochastic model to analyze the physical origins of
breakdown. Using this method we are able to reproduce
experimentally observed accelerating field dependence
Simulated pre breakdown
signal variation
BD probability
analytical and
simulations results
Experimental exp = 1.6
Accelerating gradient (in nomralized units)
Modeling origins of high gradient breakdown
• Experimental results from dedicated
measurements in CLIC (DC and RF systems)
are analyzed and compared to the model.
• A new system is being designed that has the potential to
generate identify unique pre-breakdown signal.
• Microscopy shows indications of pre-breakdown surface
“buildup” and formation of “surface emitters”
Large scale image of
pre-breakdown region
Zoom in:
surface emitter formation
Sample produced in cern using the CLIC DC test system by I. Profatilova
Soreq
END
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Soreq
Production of radiopharmaceutical isotopes
 Today, most radiopharmaceutical isotopes are
produced by protons
 Deuterons

Production of neutron-rich isotopes via the (d,p) reaction (equivalent to
the (n,g) reaction)

Typically, the (d,2n) cross section is significantly larger than the (p,n)
reaction, for A>~100
Hermanne
Nucl. Data (2007)
27
27
I. Silverman et al. NIM B (2007)
Soreq
SARAF Phase-II
currently preferred options
Medical Use
Diagnostics
Diagnostics
Generator
Therapy
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Radioisotopes[1]
64Cu
89Zr
68Ge (68Ga)[2]
225Ac
111In
124I
99Mo (99Tc)
(alpha) 177Lu (beta)[3]
[1] A. Dahan et al., Center of Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals – proposal, November 2011, submitted to TELEM
[2] Irradiation target: I. Silverman et al. AccApp 2011, Medicine: R. Sasson, E. Lavie.; et. al. J. Radioanal. Nucl.
Chem. 2010, 753
[3] A.Hermanne, S.Takacs, M. Goldberg, E.Lavie, Yu.N.Shubin and S.Kovalev, NIM B 2006