W. X. Huang

Newβ-delayed proton precursor135Gd

Unknownβ-delayed proton precursor135Gd has been synthesized by the reaction106Cd (32S, 3n) and identified using a helium-jet recoil fast tape-transport system with aγ(X)-p coincidence measurements. Itsβ-delayed proton spectrum has been observed. The half-life of135Gd decay has been determined to be 1.1±0.2 s.

OVERVIEW ON THE HIRFL-CSR FACILITY

The status of the HIRFL (Heavy Ion Facility in Lanzhou) – Cooler Storage Ring (CSR) at the IMP is reported. The main physics goals at the HIRFL-CSR are the researches on nuclear structure and decay property, EOS of nuclear matter, hadron physics, highly charged atomic physics, high energy density physics, nuclear astrophysics, and applications for cancer therapy, space industries, materials and biology sciences. The HIRFL-CSR is the first ion cooler-storage-ring system in China, which consists of a main ring (CSRm), an experimental ring (CSRe) and a radioactive beam line (RIBLL2). The two existing cyclotrons SFC (K = 70) and SSC (K = 450) are used as its injectors. The 7 MeV/u 12C6+ ions were stored successfully in CSRm with the stripping injection in January 2006. After that, realized were the accelerations of 12C6+, 36Ar18+, 78Kr28+ and 129Xe27+ ions with energies of 1 GeV/u, 1 GeV/u, 450 MeV/u and 235 MeV/u, respectively, including accumulation, electron cooling and acceleration. In 2008, the first two isochronous mass measurement experiments with the primary beams of 36Ar18+ and 78Kr28+ were performed at CSRe with the Δp/p ~ 10-5.

Design of a 7 T Superconducting Magnet for Lanzhou Penning Trap

A penning trap system called LPT (LANZHOU PENNING TRAP) is now being developed for precise mass measurements in IMP (Institute of Modern Physics). The most key component of LPT is a superconducting magnet. A 156 mm warm bore and two cylinder good field regions with a distance of 220 mm are required for trapping ions and measurements. As the required homogeneity is better than 0.5 ppm, several complicated coaxial coils are used to produce such a magnetic field. The size and position of these coils are optimized by using a method combining linear program with multiobjective optimization. Superconducting shim coils and passive shim pieces are used to eliminate inevitable winding tolerances and environmental influence. The fringe field is decreased to 5 Gs at 2 m line from the center of the magnet by active shielding coils. The designs of the mechanical structure, the quench protection system are also introduced in this paper.

New information on 12C states from the decays of 12N and 12B

Abstract The properties of states in 12 C above the 3α-threshold are of high current interest for nuclear astrophysics and for the nuclear many-body problem in general. We have initiated a series of experiments aimed at elucidating this region by using the β-decays of 12 N and 12 B. By applying the ISOL method for producing these radioactive isotopes, in combination with modern segmented charged particle detectors, our approach has significant advantages over previous studies of this region.

Neaw β-delayed proton precursor121Ce near the proton drip-line

Unknown β-delayed proton precursor121Ce was produced via the reaction of92Mo(32S, 3n), and identified by an He-jet fast tape transport system with “P-γ” coincidence measurements. The half-life of121Ce decay was determined to be (1.1 ± 0. l)s. Its energy spectrum of β-delayed protons was measured and the β-delayed proton branching ratio for121decay was roughly estimated to be ∼ 1 %. After β-delayed proton decay of the precursors119Ba,121Ba and122La, some of γ-transitions from low-lying states to the ground states in their “daughters” were observed for the first time.

Progress on the Lanzhou Penning Trap

The Penning trap is one of the most important experimental devices in the field of nuclear physics, and measures atomic masses with the highest precision in the world. Many such devices are currently in operation, with more being designed and constructed. To start the experimental study of atomic masses with very high precision in China, the Lanzhou Penning Trap (LPT) is being constructed at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In this paper the progress and status of the LPT will be reported.

Quench Protection Design and Simulation of a 7 Tesla Superconducting Magnet

A 7 Tesla superconducting magnet with a clear warm bore of 156 mm in diameter has been developed for Lanzhou Penning Trap at the Institute of Modern Physics for high precision mass measurement. The magnet is comprised of 9 solenoid coils and operates in persistent mode with a total energy of 2.3 MJ. Due to the considerable amount of energy stored during persistent mode operation, the quench protection system is very important when designing and operating the magnet. A passive protection system based on a subdivided scheme is adopted to protect the superconducting magnet from damage caused by quenching. Cold diodes and resistors are put across the subdivision to reduce both the voltage and temperature hot spots. Computational simulations have been carried in Opera-quench. The designed quench protection circuit and the finite element method model for quench simulations are described; the time changing of temperature, voltage and current decay during the quench process is also analysed.

Radioactive Ions and Atoms in Superfluid Helium

We are investigating the use of superfluid helium as a medium to handle and manipulate radioactive ions and atoms. Preliminary results on the extraction of positive ions from superfluid helium at temperatures close to 1 K are described. Increasing the electric field up to 1.2 kV/cm did not improve the extraction. Evaporating a thin surface layer of the liquid using second‐sound pulses gave an extraction efficiency of 7.2 %.

Transport and extraction of radioactive ions stopped in superfluid helium

Abstract A new approach to convert a high energy beam to a low energy one, which is essential for the next generation radioactive ion beam facilities, has been proposed and tested at Jyvaskyla, Finland. An open 223Ra alpha-decay-recoil source has been used to produce radioactive ions in superfluid helium. The alpha spectra demonstrate that the recoiling 219Rn ions have been extracted out of liquid helium. This first observation of the extraction of heavy positive ions across the superfluid helium surface was possible thanks to the high sensitivity of radioactivity detection. An efficiency of 36% was obtained for the ion extraction out of liquid helium.

Stress Analysis of the Superconducting Magnet of LPT

The superconducting magnet of the LPT (Lanzhou Penning trap) consists of nine coaxial coils. The maximum magnetic field is 7 T and thus results in a large magnetic force. In order to assure the mechanical stability, it is necessary to do the stress analysis of the magnet system. The 3D Finite Element Analysis of thermal and mechanical behavior was presented in this paper. For the numerical simulation and analysis of the phenomena inside the structure, the ADINA and TOSCA code were chosen right from start. The ADINA code is commonly used for numerical simulations of the structure analysis and the TOSCA code is professional software to calculate the magnetic field and Lorentz Forces. The results of the analysis were evaluated in terms of the stress and deformation.