Search

We present in situ measurements of spectrally resolved X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction from monocrystalline diamond samples heated with an intense pulse of heavy ions. In this way, we determine the samples' heating dynamics and their microscopic and macroscopic structural integrity over a timespan of several microseconds. Connecting the ratio of elastic to inelastic scattering with state-of-the-art density functional theory molecular dynamics simulations allows the inference of average temperatures around 1300 K, in agreement with predictions from stopping power calculations. The simultaneous diffraction measurements show no hints of any volumetric graphitization of the material, but do indicate the onset of fracture in the diamond sample. Our experiments pave the way for future studies at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, where a substantially increased intensity of the heavy ion beam will be available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) will employ the World's highest intensity relativistic beams of heavy nuclei to uniquely create and investigate macroscopic (millimeter-sized) quantities of highly energetic and dense states of matter. Four principal themes of research have been identified: properties of materials driven to extreme conditions of pressure and temperature, shocked matter and material equation of state, basic properties of strongly coupled plasma and warm dense matter, and nuclear photonics with a focus on the excitation of nuclear processes in plasmas, laser-driven particle acceleration, and neutron production. The research program, principally driven by an international collaboration of scientists, called the HED@FAIR collaboration, will evolve over the next decade as the FAIR project completes and experimental capabilities develop. The first programmatic research element, called "FAIR Phase 0, officially began in 2018 to test components, detectors, and experimental techniques. Phase-0 research employs the existing and enhanced infrastructure of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (GSI) heavy-ion synchrotron coupled with the PHELIX high-energy, high-intensity laser. The "FAIR Day one" experimental program, presently scheduled to begin in 2025, commences the use of FAIR's heavy-ion synchrotron, coupled to new experimental and diagnostic infrastructure, to realize the envisaged high-energy-density-science research program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanent magnet quadrupoles (PMQs) are an alternative to common electromagnetic quadrupoles especially for fixed rigidity beam transport scenarios at particle accelerators. Using those magnets for experimental setups can result in certain scenarios, in which a PMQ itself may be exposed to a large amount of primary and secondary particles with a broad energy spectrum, interacting with the magnetic material and affecting its magnetic properties. One specific scenario is proton microscopy, where a proton beam traverses an object and a collimator in which a part of the beam is scattered and deflected into PMQs used as part of a diagnostic system. During the commissioning of the PRIOR (Proton Microscope for Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) high energy proton microscope facility prototype at Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung in 2014, a significant reduction of the image quality was observed which was partially attributed to the demagnetization of the used PMQ lenses and the corresponding decrease of the field quality. In order to study this phenomenon, Monte Carlo simulations were carried out and spare units manufactured from the same magnetic material--single wedges and a fully assembled PMQ module--were deliberately irradiated by a 3.6 GeV intense proton beam. The performed investigations have shown that in proton radiography applications the above described scattering may result in a high irradiation dose in the PMQ magnets. This did not only decrease the overall magnetic strength of the PMQs but also caused a significant degradation of the field quality of an assembled PMQ module by increasing the parasitic multipole field harmonics which effectively makes PMQs impractical for proton radiography applications or similar scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a new high energy proton microscopy facility PRIOR (Proton Microscope for FAIR Facility for Anti-proton and Ion Research) has been designed, constructed, and successfully commissioned at GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung (Darmstadt, Germany). As a result of the experiments with 3.5-4.5 GeV proton beams delivered by the heavy ion synchrotron SIS-18 of GSI, 30 μm spatial and 10 ns temporal resolutions of the proton microscope have been demonstrated. A new pulsed power setup for studying properties of matter under extremes has been developed for the dynamic commissioning of the PRIOR facility. This paper describes the PRIOR setup as well as the results of the first static and dynamic proton radiography experiments performed at GSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a sensitive density diagnostic based on the deflection of a laser beam by refractive index gradients. The method is used to investigate stress waves in plexiglass, created by the irradiation of multilayered metal–plexiglass targets with intense relativistic heavy-ion beams. Measured laser deflection angles are of the order of 1 mrad, with a resolution of the apparatus of 50 μrad. Results are in excellent agreement with interferometric measurements. The deflection technique is superior to an imaging interferometer in terms of simplicity and sensitivity. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense heavy ion beams open new possibilities in high-energy-density matter research. Due to the unique feature of the energy deposition process of heavy ions in dense matter (volume character of heating) it is possible to generate high entropy states in matter without the necessity of shock compression. Previously, such high entropy states could only be achieved by using the most powerful shock wave generators, like nuclear explosions or powerful lasers. In this paper this novel technique of heavy ion heating and expansion is proposed to explore new fascinating regions of the phase diagram, including the liquid phase, the evaporation region with the critical point, and strongly coupled plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new high energy proton radiography facility PRIOR-II (Proton Microscope for FAIR) has been designed, constructed, and successfully commissioned at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (Darmstadt, Germany) pushing the technical boundaries of charged particle radiography with normal conducting magnets to the limits. The setup is foreseen to become a new and powerful user facility for carrying out fundamental science experiments in the fields of plasma and shock wave physics, material science, and medical physics. It will help address several unsolved scientific challenges, which require high-speed and precise non-invasive diagnostic methods capable of probing matter with up to 100 g/cm2 areal density. PRIOR-II is specifically designed to utilize the full timing capabilities of the SIS-18 synchrotron at GSI for ultra-fast dynamic experiments with up to 4 GeV protons and will also be fielded at the future FAIR facility, where higher proton energies and beam intensities will be available. This will enable experiment geometries with even higher areal densities, more flexible experiment timing, and further enhanced spatial resolution., (© 2024 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)