LOEWE Research Cluster Nuclear Photonics

Project Area C: Instrumentation

Cryogenic targets are used at the PHELIX laser at GSI.

Intense pulses of neutrons and gamma rays are produced from our innovative laser-based sources. The projects in project area C are tailored about the developments for the optimized production of these neutron and gamma-rays (C2 and C4) and their detection (C1 and C3). The instrumentation R&D in this project area addresses detection techniques for both basic research and technical applications. While the local major research infrastructure and the new setups at the ELI institutes will allow us to investigate the new radiation sources and their application potential, the LOEWE research cluster also addresses the future improvement of setups for neutron and gamma rays by optimizing targets and the laser-electron interaction.

Project area coordinator:

(PIs: Prof. Dr. Markus Roth, Prof. Dr. Thomas Aumann)

This project is aimed at developing innovative neutron detectors. For measuring fast neutrons, scintillators based on organic material will be investigated. To minimize the impact of electromagnetic pulses or X-ray flashes, an idea is to implement a fast switch into the photomultiplier tubes reading out the detectors. For low-energy measurements, a variety of detectors are studied.

(PIs: Dr. Gabriel Schaumann, Prof. Dr. Oliver Boine-Frankenheim)

The intensities of the laser pulses producing ion and neutron beams is so high that the targets do not survive. Each particle pulse requires a “new” target. This project therefore addresses high-quality series production of targets, target handling, as well as liquid target materials (partially cryogenic).

(PIs: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Kröll, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.mult. Norbert Pietralla)

The probability of detecting the full energy signal of high-energy gamma rays drops drastically with increasing energy. The detectors that will be used at ELI-Nuclear Physics features high-resolution semiconductor detectors. To boost their performance, a spectrometer is being set up that allows to tag a fraction of the gamma-ray energy that is not detected inside the semiconductor.

(PIs: Dr. Michaela Arnold, Priv.-Doz. Dr. Vincent Bagnoud)

This project is aimed at studying optimization conditions for a future source of laser Compton backscattering. To this end, an intense laser is to be coupled with the S-DALINAC. The back-scattered photons (in the X-ray energy regime) will be used for beam diagnostics and for investigating the application potential.