NATALIE: A 32 detector integrated acquisition system to characterize laser produced energetic particles with nuclear techniques

Journal Article · Tue Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3527061· OSTI ID:22062246

Tarisien, M; Plaisir, C; Gobet, F; Hannachi, F; Aleonard, M M; Rebii, A ^[1]

---

1. Universite Bordeaux 1, CNRS-IN2P3, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Bordeaux Gradignan, CENBG, Chemin du Solarium, 33175 Gradignan (France)

We present a stand-alone system to characterize the high-energy particles emitted in the interaction of ultrahigh intensity laser pulses with matter. According to the laser and target characteristics, electrons or protons are produced with energies higher than a few mega electron volts. Selected material samples can, therefore, be activated via nuclear reactions. A multidetector, named NATALIE, has been developed to count the {beta}{sup +} activity of these irradiated samples. The coincidence technique used, designed in an integrated system, results in very low background in the data, which is required for low activity measurements. It, therefore, allows a good precision on the nuclear activation yields of the produced radionuclides. The system allows high counting rates and online correction of the dead time. It also provides, online, a quick control of the experiment. Geant4 simulations are used at different steps of the data analysis to deduce, from the measured activities, the energy and angular distributions of the laser-induced particle beams. Two applications are presented to illustrate the characterization of electrons and protons.

• OSTI ID: 22062246
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 82, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ACCURACY
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COUNTING RATES
DATA ACQUISITION
DATA ANALYSIS
DEAD TIME
ELECTRONS
LASERS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PROTONS
PULSES
RADIOISOTOPES
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS