Analysis of J-HBC stripper foil for the J-PARC RCS

Yoshimoto, Masahiro; Nakanoya, Takamitsu; Yamazaki, Yoshio; Saha, P. K.; Kinsho, Michikazu; Yamamoto, Shunya*; Okazaki, Hiroyuki*; Taguchi, Tomitsugu*; Yamada, Naoto*; Yamagata, Ryohei*

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011019_1 - 011019_7, 2021/03

BB2019-1209.pdf:0.86MB

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011019

The multi-turn charge-exchange H beam injection scheme with stripper foils is one of the key techniques to achieve a MW-class high power proton beam. The J-PARC RCS adopts Hybrid type Boron-doped Carbon (HBC) stripper foil, which was developed in KEK to improve the lifetime. Indeed, the RCS user operation confirmed that HBC foil has the great advantage of a longer lifetime against high beam irradiation. To examine characteristics of the HBC foils, various beam studies were performed, such as the stripping efficiency measurement and long-term observation with an H beam in the J-PARC RCS, foil analysis using RBS, EDR and PIXE methods, and SEM and TEM observation after the ion beam irradiation in Takasaki Ion Accelerators for Advanced Radiation Application (TIARA) on National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST). Recently, the deposition apparatus for the HBC foils from the KEK Tsukuba-site was relocated to the JAEA Tokai-site, and we started fabrication of new HBC foil in 2017. (The new one fabricated in JAEA we call J-HBC foil.) And, we continue investigations in TIARA with the J-HBC foils. Furthermore, in-depth researches by changing the process parameters of the foil deposition are carried on. Recent results suggest that the amount of the boron doped in the foil is more important parameter than the ratio of the discharge amount of carbon from cathode and anode electrodes. In this presentation, we will report the details of recent analysis of the J-HBC foil.

Maintenance of radio-activated stripper foils in the 3 GeV RCS of J-PARC

Yoshimoto, Masahiro; Yamazaki, Yoshio; Saha, P. K.; Kinsho, Michikazu; Sugai, Isao*; Irie, Yoshiro*

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 305(3), p.865 - 873, 2015/09

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4138-x

In the 3-GeV Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), we adopted thick Hybrid type Boron-doped Carbon (HBC) stripper foil for the multi-turn H charge-exchange injection. The HBC foil has a great advantage of its longer lifetime against high irradiation. Until now, deformation of the HBC foil is observed, but has not broken during 6 months user operation. However there are high residual dose in the RCS injection area. The highest residual dose is observed at the downstream of titanium chamber flange where the stripper foil is placed. The residual dose was increased with the LINAC energy upgrade from 181 MeV to 400 MeV. It shows that secondary neutrons and protons generated by nuclear reactions in the stripper foil at high energy and high power beam irradiation are the major sources for high residual dose at the injection area. The radio-activation of the stripper foil itself is an intrinsic problem and thus maintenance scenario of the stripper foil at the highly-dosed environment is one of the most important issues for the high intensity accelerators. In the J-PARC RCS, the foil exchange devices were improved according to the new maintenance scenario which aims to keep radiation exposure to staffs as low as possible and to reduce the risk of the radioactive foils break up or disperse. In addition, various analyses of the irradiated stripper foils can be carried out if the foils can be retrieved from the tunnel without breaking.

Evaluation of activated nuclides due to secondary particles produced in stripper foil in J-PARC RCS

Yoshimoto, Masahiro; Okabe, Kota; Harada, Hiroyuki; Kinsho, Michikazu; Kato, Shinichi*

no journal, , 

The charge exchange multi-turn beam injection scheme is adopted in the J-PARC 3GeV Rapid Cycling Synchrotron Accelerator (RCS) due to achieve 1MW beam power operation. In the conventional multi-turn beam injection scheme, which is provided by only the septum and bump magnets, injecting turn numbers are limited by the beam losses at the septum. On the other hand, charge exchange multi-turn beam injection does not cause the beam losses at the septum; there is no restriction in principle on the injecting turn number. However, high residual doses are observed around the stripper foil. During the charge exchange multi-turn beam injection, not only the injecting beam but also circulating beam hit the foil, and then a large number of secondary particles, namely protons and neutrons, are generated. PHITS simulation results indicate that the secondary particles cause the high residual doses around the foil. To verify this examination, secondary particles measurement is key issue. But injection system is too complex to detect the pure signals of the secondary particles from the stripper foil. Thus, a new independent type foil introducing device is installed in the 100 dump beam transport line in order to construct a simple experimental system for secondary particle measurements. We plan the two experiments by using this system; one is a directly secondary particle detecting method, and the other is a radioactivation analysis method with metal sample pieces. Now, we started the study of how the identification of species and energies of the secondary particles with PHITS code. In this presentation, we report the simulation results of the utility of the radioactivation analysis method.

Development of secondary particles detection system with stilbene organic scintillator in J-PARC RCS

Yoshimoto, Masahiro; Okabe, Kota; Kinsho, Michikazu

no journal, , 

In the J-PARC RCS, 400 MeV H beams from the LINAC are injected to the stripper foils so that the most of beams are converted to protons. The stripper foil is irradiated not only by the injected H beams but also by the circulating protons. The high energy and intense beam irradiation into the foil generates secondary neutrons and protons via nuclear reactions. These secondary particles cause high residual activation around the stripper foil. To measure the secondary particles from the stripper foil, the particle detector system is required to discriminate among proton, neutrons and rays. Then, we develop the detector system combining a stilbene organic scintillator and a plastic scintillator. The stilbene scintillator can discriminate rays and other particles (protons and neutrons) with the Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) function. Furthermore, it can separate protons from neutrons by using the plastic scintillator which is set on the front of the stilbene scintillator. In this presentation, we report the PSD performance test of the stilbene scintillator in the utility tunnel in the RCS.

Performance evaluation of charge exchange stripper foils for J-PARC 3GeV RCS

Yoshimoto, Masahiro; Nakanoya, Takamitsu; Yamazaki, Yoshio; Saha, P. K.; Kinsho, Michikazu; Yamamoto, Shunya*; Okazaki, Hiroyuki*; Taguchi, Tomitsugu*; Yamada, Naoto*; Yamagata, Ryohei*

no journal, , 

The multi-turn charge-exchange H beam injection scheme with stripper foils is one of the key techniques to achieve a MW-class high power proton beam. The J-PARC RCS adopts Hybrid type Boron-doped Carbon (HBC) stripper foil, which was developed in KEK to improve the lifetime. Indeed, the RCS user operation confirmed that HBC foil has the great advantage of a longer lifetime against high beam irradiation. To examine characteristics of the HBC foils, various beam studies were performed, such as the stripping efficiency measurement and long-term observation with an H beam in the J-PARC RCS, foil analysis using RBS, EDR and PIXE methods, and SEM and TEM observation after the ion beam irradiation in Takasaki Ion Accelerators for Advanced Radiation Application (TIARA) on National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST). Recently, the deposition apparatus for the HBC foils from the KEK Tsukuba-site was relocated to the JAEA Tokai-site, and we started fabrication of new HBC foil in 2017. (The new one fabricated in JAEA we call J-HBC foil.) And, we continue investigations in TIARA with the J-HBC foils. Furthermore, in-depth researches by changing the process parameters of the foil deposition are carried on. Now, we developed new types of foils which were made by arc discharge method by using a pure carbon rod for ether the anode electrode or the cathode electrode. As the results of the beam irradiation tests for the new types of HBC foils, it was suggested that the boron being carried in from the anode electrode plays an important part in the functioning of the stripper foil. The new knowledge will mark a milestone in the improvement of the stripper foil.