RD4

Gamma Driven Experiments Department

The unique parameters of the ELI-NP gamma beams in terms of high spectral density and high polarizability open a new avenue for photonuclear research.
A versatile research program related to physics and applications with brilliant gamma beams has been defined in several Technical Design Reports and instrumentation for its realization is been designed or is under construction. Day-one experiments with the ELI-NP gamma-beam system will be carried out in the E7, E8 and E9 experimental areas of the ELI-NP laboratory building. It includes nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) experiments, photoneutron reaction measurements, studies of (γ,α) or (γ,p) reaction cross sections and photofission experiments.

Nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) experiments provide a specific research niche for the ELI-NP facility. In particular, the pencil-size gamma beams at ELI-NP will provide access to targets that are available in small quantities and will open the actinide region for NRF studies. Detailed high-resolution studies of the dipole strength distribution in the region of the pygmy dipole resonance (PDR) will be done. Related to this experimental program, the ELIADE detector array of segmented Ge Clover detectors and digital read-out is under construction:

The ELIADE (ELI-NP Array of DEtectors) is composed of 8 segmented clover HPGe detectors and additional 4 LaBr3 detectors. The detectors are located on two rings, one at 90 degrees and the other at 135 degrees with respect to the beam axis. The angle of the detectors in the first ring can be varied with 4 degrees around the nominal working position. [Romanian Reports in Physics, Vol. 68, Supplement, P. S483–S538, 2016]

Head of experiment: Dmitry TESTOV

Experiments above the neutron threshold address open questions related to nuclear structure and astrophysical abundances of nuclear species, e.g. photodisintegration cross-sections for low-abundance nuclei relevant to the p-process nuclear synthesis, and nuclear structure of the giant dipole resonances (GDR) from studies of gamma and neutron decays, as well as studies of the pygmy-dipole resonance (PDR) and the magnetic dipole resonance (MDR), appearing as excess strength at the lower-energy tail of the GDR, will be performed. In addition, resolution of the large literature discrepancies of the partial (γ,xn) cross-sections with improved measurements will be done. In particular two main configuration are under construction related to this experimental program: ELIGANT-GN and ELIGANT-TN.

The current configuration of ELIGANT-GN has 15 LaBr3(Ce) and 19 CeBr3 scintillator detectors for gamma-ray detection, and 33 liquid and 22 Li-glass scintillator detectors for fast-neutron detection. The main goal of ELIGANT-GN is to detect coincidences between gamma rays and neutrons emitted by de-exciting nuclei.

The current configuration of ELIGANT-TN consists of 28 helium-3 tubes embedded in a polyethilene cube.

Head of experiment: Pär-Anders SÖDERSTRÖM

Experiments in the field of photofission address mapping of the fission barriers through studies of transmission fission resonances, as well as studies of rare fission modes. For the realization of this experimental programme two instruments are designed:

The ELI-BIC (Bragg Ionization Chamber) is an assembly of four chambers, each of which contains one high-efficient double-sided Frisch-grid ionization chamber for the detection of binary fission fragments together with eight ∆E-E telescopes to measure light charged particles. Each telescope consists of an ionization chamber and a double-sided silicon strip detector (DSSD) to determine energy loss and remaining energy, respectively. As counting gas, P-10 (90% argon, 10% methane) at around 1 bar will be used.

ELITHGEM consists of 12 detectors of THGEM (THick Gas Electron Multiplier) type, which offer position sensitivity as well as high gain. The entire detector covers a solid angle of around 80% of 4π and each THGEM unit, together with a segmented readout electrode, provides a true pixelated radiation localization with an angular resolution of about 5°. The array is contained inside a gas chamber, filled with isobutane gas at a pressure of around 5 mbar.

Head of experiment: Mihai CUCIUC

At ELI-NP we develop a research program for studies of the structure of exotic nuclei. The nuclei of interest will be produced by photofission of actinide nuclei by a broad-bandwidth gamma beam, covering the region of the giant dipole resonances (GDR).

The ELISOL facility will produce radioactive ion beams (RIBs) via photofission in a stack of actinide targets placed at the center of a gas cell. This Cryogenic Stopping Cell (CSC) will operate with helium at around 75K and will employ diverse DC and RF electric fields to thermalize and drift out quickly the fission fragments. A Radio-Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) will form the RIBs by cooling, bunching and mass filtering these fragments. The exotic neutron-rich component of the RIBs will be selected by a Multiple Reflection Time-of-Flight (MR-ToF) mass spectrometer with high resolving power. Finally, the selected rare and exotic nuclei will be analyzed by a beta-decay tape station and a collinear laser spectroscopy station.

Head of experiment: Paul CONSTANTIN

The Extreme Light Infrastructure Silicon Strip Array (ELISSA) is a new silicon-strip detector array under construction at ELI-NP. Several reactions important for the astrophysical p-process, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and supernova explosion have been selected for the first measurement campaigns.

One of the key reactions to measure is the 7Li(γ,3H)4He which is of interest for the longstanding "Cosmological Li problem" and for verifying several recent theoretical predictions. Measurements at γ-ray energies above 3.5 MeV with ELISSA could restrict the extrapolation of the cross section to astrophysically important energies.

Photodissociation processes are among the most important nuclear reactions during p-process nucleosynthesis. Several p-nuclei of Mo and Ru are produced only by the p-process in supernova explosions. Measurements of (γ,p) and (γ,4He) on 92Mo, 96Mo and 98Ru, and 144 and 146Sm are proposed with ELISSA.

The ELISSA design consists of X3 position-sensitive silicon-strip detectors arranged in three rings of 12 detectors in a barrel configuration and 8 annular silicon-strip detectors covering the end-caps. ELISSA provides charged particle detection with low thresholds, high energy and angular resolution over an almost 4π solid angle.

Head of experiment: Cătălin MATEI

The ELI Time Projection Chamber (ELITPC) is a gaseous detector in which the gas acts at the same time as a target for the nuclear reaction and detection medium. The detector will be used to investigate the multi alpha-particle decay of light nuclei such as 12C and 16O and the cross section of photo-dissociation reactions (γ,p) or (γ,α). The active volume of the chamber, in which the reaction happens and the decay products are detected, will have a length of 35 cm and a square cross-section of 20 cm × 20 cm, centred around the beam axis with a window for the gamma beam and another on the side for an alpha source. The multiplication of the drifting electrons will be achieved by a sequence of 35 cm × 20 cm Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) foils. The charge will be read by a u-v-w readout which is mounted on a circuit board using multi-layering board technology and it is formed by three layers of (u-v-w) grids crossedat 60°. Combination of the 2D position in the collection plane with time information will allow the 3D reconstruction of the reaction products. The 3D reconstruction of events will also allowus to identify reactions in which more than two particles are involved, like 12C(γ,3α), or when more events (including background) happen within a short time-window of the information collection.

Head of experiment: Adrian ROTARU

ELI-NP γ beams will be used to produce intense beams of positrons. The positron beams will be utilized for material research and characterization, for structural and defect studies of metals, semi-conductors and insulators. Accordingly, several analytical techniques will be used and further developed. Once circularly polarized gamma beams become available at ELI-NP, they will be used to produce polarized positron beams. Thus, ELI-NP will offer positron beams with unprecedented capabilities.

Head of experiment: Nikolay DJOURELOV

Nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) analytical techniques and γ-ray based radiography and tomography will be developed at ELI-NP. These studies will be directed towards specific nuclear non-proliferation and waste-management applications, as well as cultural heritage research. In addition, research related to the production of radioisotopes for medical applications will be carried out ELI-NP. For this purpose an irradiation station, combined with a pneumatic transport system and a detection system, is designed.

Head of experiment: Violeta IANCU

The detectors and spectroscopy laboratory is equipped to provide the possibility of testing detectors and electronics setups before they are used in the designated experimental programs.

Head of experiment: Alfio PAPPALARDO
Dimiter BALABANSKI Dimiter BALABANSKI Head of "Gamma Driven Experiments Department" CV     Papers
Name Position Info
Andreas OBERSTEDT Research Scientist I CV     Papers
Nikolay DJOURELOV Research Scientist II CV
Violeta IANCU Research Scientist II (Deputy Head) CV
Paul CONSTANTIN Research Scientist III CV     Papers
Mihai CUCIUC Research Scientist III CV    
David KAHL Research Scientist III CV     Papers
Asli Kusoglu Research Scientist III CV    
Haridas PAI Research Scientist III CV
Pär-Anders SÖDERSTRÖM Research Scientist III CV
Gabriel SULIMAN Research Scientist III CV     Papers
Dmitry TESTOV Research Scientist III CV     Papers
Tatiana TOZAR Research Scientist III CV
Nadia TSONEVA-LARIONOVA Research Scientist III CV
Yi XU Research Scientist III CV
Adrian ROTARU Research Scientist CV
Gabriel TURTURICA Research Scientist CV
Anukul DHAL Postdoctoral Research Assistant
Vincent Florian LELASSEUX Postdoctoral Research Assistant
Cristina MARIN Postdoctoral Research Assistant
Vlad VASILCA Postdoctoral Research Assistant
Emanuela BOICU PhD Student
Andreea GAVRILESCU PhD Student
Andreea GHERGHE PhD Student
Ioana KUNCSER PhD student
Cosmina NEDELCU PhD student
Dragos NICHITA PhD student
Teodora PETRUSE PhD Student
Roy RAJAT PhD Student
Anamaria SPATARU PhD Student
Alexandru STATE PhD Student
Sohichiroh AOGAKI Engineer
Traian ROMAN Engineer

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