Secondary irradiation for radiation damage studies and isotope harvesting

ISAC-TRIUMF operates targets under proton irradiation in the high-power regime of 50 kW (<a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mrow><a:mn>100</a:mn><a:mtext> </a:mtext><a:mtext> </a:mtext><a:mi mathvariant="normal">μ</a:mi><a:mi mathvariant="normal">A</a:mi></a:mrow></a:math>, 500 MeV) to produce radioactive isotope beams using the isotope separation on-line technique. The targets irradiated at ISAC have a total stopping power significantly lower than 500 MeV resulting in a residual high-power proton beam downstream of the target. The coupling of a supplementary target in a downstream position allows for additional scientific output. Irradiation conditions have been analyzed with the code and relevant achievable research within operational limitations explored. Prominently, the study of material degradation under high radiation fields is of increasing interest due to the steady demand for high-performance materials for new-generation nuclear applications and beam-intercepting components at high-power particle accelerator facilities. Successive irradiations at ISAC yield relevant radiation damage of bulk material samples which can then be characterized using already existing facilities at TRIUMF and partner facilities. Additionally, a variety of isotopes produced by transmutation with research applicability can be harvested from these irradiations. With the purpose of unlocking this complementary research at ISAC-TRIUMF, a secondary target, attached to the primary ISAC target system, has been designed and commissioned. Published by the American Physical Society 2024