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Physics letters / B 820, 136591 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2021.136591, Published by North-Holland Publ., Amsterdam

Neutron-induced fission of uranium allows for the production of high-intensity neutron-rich radioactive ion beams. However, also large quantities of unwanted volatile radioactive species are produced that have to be hindered from contaminating the beamline and vacuum system of the facility. In the framework of radioprotection studies within the MAFF project at the FRM II in Garching with 1014 fission events/s [D. Habs et al., The Munich accelerator for fission fragments MAFF, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 204 (2003) 739], the performance of a cryotrap system has been studied, designed to localize gaseous radioactivity close to its origin. These studies provide important radioprotection information for the planned EURISOL facility with 1015 fission events/s. Design considerations of a compact cryotrap operated with cold helium gas at a saturation temperature around 18 K will be presented. Activity distribution calculations of the fission source, the cryotrap and the subsequent vacuum system result in a prediction of the retention capability of the cryotrap system of 99.98%. These design calculations have been experimentally verified with three cryotrap prototypes differing in cold surface area as well as in their internal helium gas flow characteristics. Retention capabilities have been measured with and without passive shielding of the external thermal load (300 K) using different tracer gases and an inclusive pressure-related diagnostics as well as mass-spectroscopic measurements.

The target-ion source system for the Munich Fission Fragment Accelerator MAFF has been developed. The target consists of typically 1 g of 235 U dispersed homogeneously in form of UC 2 in a cylindrical graphite matrix, encapsulated in a protective Re container. Preparation and test results of this system are presented.

A detailed account on the distribution of radioactive nuclei in the vacuum system of the planned Munich Accelerator for Fission Fragments (MAFF) located at the FRM-II research reactor is presented. Tools used for the simulation of spacial and temporal distribution of radionuclides are explained. The latter allows for a detailed activity budget as well as estimates for the mass-separated ion yields at MAFF. Additionally, a concept to reduce the activity release from the MAFF slit system due to surface sputtering is presented. It is shown, that the use of low-density carbon foam, as a surface coating, reduces sputtering by orders of magnitude.

The Munich Accelerator for Fission Fragments (MAFF) is a radioactive ion beam facility which will be installed at the new research reactor FRM-II. This new reactor became critical in Spring 2004. The heart of MAFF, the target-ion source unit will be placed in the through-going beam tube of the FRM-II. This beam tube has been installed, tested and filled with helium in 2001. The cogent authorization procedures and safety levels developed for nuclear power plants are applied for this research reactor also. Therefore, MAFF also has to obey these very strict rules, because the typical 1 g load of 235 U in the MAFF source creates a fission product activity of several 10 14 Bq after one reactor cycle of 52 days. All vacuum components must withstand a pressure of 6×10 5 Pa in addition to their UHV acceptability. Even dynamic gaskets must be strictly metallic, because organic compounds would not withstand the radioactive irradiation during the design lifetime of 30 years. Only dry vacuum pumps are suitable: refrigerator cryopumps for the high-vacuum part and five stages of roots pumps for roughing and regeneration.

The Munich Accelerator for Fission Fragments (MAFF) facility planned at the research reactor FRM-II in Munich is dedicated to produce, cool and accelerate high-intensity neutron-rich radioactive beams. The radioactive beam of fission fragments results from bombarding a uranium target by the thermal neutrons emerging from the reactor. Part of the nuclides is released from the target/ion source unit in a non-ionized state. This contribution is concerned with simulating the distribution of the non-ionized radioactivity along the MAFF beamline. The calculations are performed with the help of the computer program MOVAK3D. The calculated fraction of non-ionized radioactivity at the border of the experimental area is at the level of about 10 −7 , relative to the activity produced in the target.

At the Munich research reactor FRM-II a radioactive beam facility is planned. About 1014 fissions/s will be induced by thermal neutrons in a target of 235U. Fission products will be ionised, extracted from the neighbourhood of the reactor core, mass analysed and cooled. For some nuclides more than 1011 mass separated ions per second can be obtained. One ion species will be selected in a high-resolution separator and accelerated up to 5.9 MeV/u.

Fowler–Nordheim tunneling injection was performed, from the substrate, in an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor with polycrystalline silicon gate. We explain the injection of hot holes in the oxide by an anode hole injection model. We compare behaviors of the anode hole current, the generated positive oxide charge, and the kinetics of interface state creation, according to the oxide thickness. We deduce two things from it: on one hand, mechanisms of interface state and oxide positive charge creation would be the same, and on the other hand, holes created at the anode would cause deterioration of the Si/SiO 2 interface.

High electric-field stresses were performed in polycrystalline silicon gate metal-oxide-semiconductor devices (capacitors and transistors) and defect generation was studied as a function of injecting electron densities for polarities of different high electric fields. This work was performed for different oxide thicknesses and technologies. The results show that the interface states were generated during electron injections from the silicon-substrate saturate. However, they present no saturation when created during electron injections from the gate. Our results show that the amount of this asymmetry depends strongly on oxide thickness, but it is oxide technology independent. A detailed analysis of our results allows us to suggest that a direct creation mechanism occurs when the injecting electrode is the gate. Anode-hole injection and trap-creation mechanisms are present under the two stress oxide field polarities, but their effects are reduced with decreasing oxide thickness.

Fowler-Nordheim tunneling injection was performed, from the substrate, in an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor with polysilicon gate. We observe the injection of hot holes in the oxide. We try to explain the injection of hot holes by the anode hole injection model. We show the hot hole injection decreases with the oxide thickness, and the hot hole injection efficiency is practically the same during a constant voltage stress. We attempt to link the evolution of the generated positive charge with the injected holes for three oxide thicknesses.

Expérience au GSI; The shell structure of atomic nuclei is associated with 'magic numbers' and originates in the nearly independent motion of neutrons and protons in a mean potential generated by all nucleons. During b1-decay, a proton transforms into a neutron in a previously not fully occupied orbital, emitting a positron-neutrino pair with either parallel or antiparallel spins, in a Gamow-Teller or Fermi transition, respectively. The transition probability, or strength, of a Gamow-Teller transition depends sensitively on the underlying shell structure and is usually distributed among many states in the neighbouring nucleus. Here we report measurements of the half-life and decay energy for the decay of 100Sn, the heaviest doubly magic nucleus with equal numbers of protons and neutrons. In the b-decay of 100Sn, a large fraction of the strength is observable because of the large decay energy. We determine the largest Gamow-Teller strength so far measured in allowed nuclear b-decay, establishing the 'superallowed' nature of this Gamow-Teller transition. The large strength and the low-energy states in the daughter nucleus, 100In, are well reproduced by modern, large-scale shell model calculations.

The analysis of a large body of heavy ion fusion reaction data with medium-heavy projectiles ($6\ensuremath{\le}Z\ensuremath{\le}18$) and actinide targets suggests a disappearance of the $3n$ exit channel with increasing atomic number of the projectile. Here, we report a measurement of the excitation function of the reaction $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}(^{26}\mathrm{Mg},xn)^{274\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}x}\mathrm{Hs}$ and the observation of the new nuclide $^{271}\mathrm{Hs}$ produced in the $3n$ evaporation channel at a beam energy well below the Bass fusion barrier with a cross section comparable to the maxima of the $4n$ and $5n$ channels. This indicates the possible discovery of new neutron-rich transactinide nuclei using relatively light heavy ion beams of the most neutron-rich stable isotopes and actinide targets.

The analysis of a large body of heavy ion fusion reaction data with medium-heavy projectiles (6or = Zor = 18) and actinide targets suggests a disappearance of the 3n exit channel with increasing atomic number of the projectile. Here, we report a measurement of the excitation function of the reaction (248)Cm ((26)Mg,xn)(274-x)Hs and the observation of the new nuclide (271)Hs produced in the 3n evaporation channel at a beam energy well below the Bass fusion barrier with a cross section comparable to the maxima of the 4n and 5n channels. This indicates the possible discovery of new neutron-rich transactinide nuclei using relatively light heavy ion beams of the most neutron-rich stable isotopes and actinide targets.

Theoretical calculations predict $^{270}\mathrm{Hs}$ ($Z=108$, $N=162$) to be a doubly magic deformed nucleus, decaying mainly by $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle emission. In this work, based on a rapid chemical isolation of Hs isotopes produced in the $^{26}\mathrm{Mg}+^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ reaction, we observed 15 genetically linked nuclear decay chains. Four chains were attributed to the new nuclide $^{270}\mathrm{Hs}$, which decays by $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle emission with ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=9.02\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$ to $^{266}\mathrm{Sg}$ which undergoes spontaneous fission with a half-life of ${444}_{\ensuremath{-}148}^{+444}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{ms}$. A production cross section of about 3 pb was measured for $^{270}\mathrm{Hs}$. Thus, $^{270}\mathrm{Hs}$ is the first nucleus for which experimental nuclear decay properties have become available for comparison with theoretical predictions of the $N=162$ shell stability.

Theoretical calculations predict 270Hs (Z=108, N=162) to be a doubly magic deformed nucleus, decaying mainly by alpha-particle emission. In this work, based on a rapid chemical isolation of Hs isotopes produced in the 26Mg+248Cm reaction, we observed 15 genetically linked nuclear decay chains. Four chains were attributed to the new nuclide 270Hs, which decays by alpha-particle emission with Qalpha=9.02+/-0.03 MeV to 266Sg which undergoes spontaneous fission with a half-life of 444(-148)(+444) ms. A production cross section of about 3 pb was measured for 270Hs. Thus, 270Hs is the first nucleus for which experimental nuclear decay properties have become available for comparison with theoretical predictions of the N=162 shell stability.

The Munich Accelerator for Fission Fragments is planned to be installed at the FRM II in Garching. It will operate a uranium-carbide-loaded graphite matrix as a target for neutron-induced fission. The radioactive reaction fragments leave the ion source as both, atoms and ions. For radiation safety it is imperative to have a basic understanding of the fragment distribution within the beam line. Atoms leaving the graphite matrix will spread like a gas and stick to surfaces depending on their species. A probabilistic Monte-Carlo approach is used to predict the surface coating of internal surfaces of the beam line for all fission nuclides. To decrease calculation time, the problem is reduced to two dimensions with the surface areas being a measure for the probability, that they are hit by a particle. The program is completely time dependent to implement radioactive decay. Ions leaving the fission ion source are transported by electrostatic means towards the mass pre-separator, a low-resolution dipole magnet with a complex slit system in the focal plane. All unwanted ions are stopped at the slits, resulting in a high level of radioactive contamination. While it is advantageous for shielding purposes to have the majority of the contamination in one point, precautions must be taken to ensure that it stays that way. Material corrosion caused by sputtering will release previously implanted radionuclides. To reduce this effect, different methods are under investigation, one of which is changing the slit geometry. The considered designs will be described and experimental results will be shown.

EURISOL DS/Task5/TN-08-03Technical note upon completion of milestone

EURISOL DS/Task5/TN-08-02Technical note upon completion of milestone

submitted to the 15th International Conference on Electro-Magnetic Separators and Techniques (EMIS07), Deauville/France, June 24-29, 2007