A 4π time-of-flight detector for the ND280/T2K upgrade

ND280 is a near detector of the T2K experiment which is located in the J-PARC accelerator complex in Japan. After a decade of fruitful data-taking, ND280 is scheduled for upgrade. The time-of-flight (ToF) detector, which is described in this article, is one of three new detectors that will be installed in the basket of ND280. The ToF detector has a modular structure. Each module represents an array of 20 plastic scintillator bars which are stacked in a plane of 2.4 × 2.2 m2 area. Six modules of similar construction will be assembled in a cube, thus providing an almost 4π enclosure for an active neutrino target and two TPCs. The light emitted by scintillator is absorbed by arrays of large-area silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs) which are attached to both ends of every bar. The readout of SiPMs, shaping and analog sum of individual SiPM signals within the array are performed by a discrete circuit amplifier. An average time resolution of about 0.14 ns is achieved for a single bar when measured with cosmic muons. The detector will be installed in the basket of ND280, where it will be used to veto particle originating outside the neutrino target, improve the particle identification and provide a cosmic trigger for calibration of detectors which are enclosed inside it.

2.5 GeV booster synchrotron for a new Kurchatov synchrotron radiation source

The Project of complete modernization of a current accelerator complex and the making of the 3-d generation light source is in progress in the NRC «Kurchatov Institute». A new booster synchrotron is part of the injection complex for a new synchrotron light source. It must ensure reliable and stable operation of the upgraded main storage ring. The paper presents the lattice of a new booster synchrotron and its main parameters.

100-MeV KOMAC Proton Accelerator at Gyeongju: Operational Status and Upgrade Plan

In 2012, the Korea Multi-purpose Accelerator Complex (KOMAC) facility with a total construction budget of about $300M was constructed at Gyeongju in Korea. It has a 75 m long 100 MeV proton accelerator, which can supply the highest average beam current of 1.6 mA. Since 2013, the KOMAC has been operating the 100 MeV proton accelerator for the official user beam service with two multi-purpose beamlines, one at 20 MeV and the other at 100 MeV. In 2015, the first new high-flux beamline was constructed for a medical isotope production, and the second new beamline was added in 2016 to provide a low-flux proton beam irradiation service mainly for research on the effects of radiation on semiconductors, spacecraft parts, and medical/biological samples. By the help of recent increased usages of Korean semiconductor manufacturing companies, such as SAMSUNG and SK hynix, the competition rate for requesting beam time of the proton accelerator was increased as high as 3.54:1 in 2020. To support various research fields with good user satisfaction, we have been preparing to increase the beam energy of the proton accelerator from 100 MeV to at least 500 MeV. In this article, we describe the construction history, current operational status, and various applications of the KOMAC proton accelerator and its future upgrade plan.

Proof of Concept Experience in the SPES Experiment: First Solutions for Potentiometers Replacement in System Maintenance

SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) is a large facility, currently under advanced construction at the INFN-LNL (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro) for the production of Radioactive Ion Beams (RIBs). Coordinated efforts are being dedicated to the development and upgrading of both the accelerator complex and the up-to-date experimental set-ups. This paper describes a work of upgrading as far as the inspection and maintenance of the system is concerned, and it deals with human-centered design methods to reduce the time spent in the radioactive environment of the facility during ordinary maintenance operations and to simplify them, also considering stress conditions of the operator and the mandatory wearable radiation protection devices (such as tracksuit, gloves, oxygen tank mask) which make simple operations difficult.