Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment Target Material Radiation Damage Studies Using Energetic Protons of the Brookhaven Linear Isotope Production (BLIP) Facility

TL;DR

This paper discusses radiation damage studies on target materials for high-power neutrino beam facilities, using energetic protons at BNL to inform design challenges for future multi-megawatt accelerators like LBNE.

Contribution

It presents experimental results on radiation damage and thermal shock response of low-Z materials relevant to high-intensity neutrino beam targets.

Findings

Radiation damage limits identified for target materials.

Thermal shock response characterized under high-intensity proton irradiation.

Data supports improved target material selection for future accelerators.

Abstract

One of the future multi-MW accelerators is the LBNE Experiment where Fermilab aims to produce a beam of neutrinos with a 2.3 MW proton beam as part of a suite of experiments associated with Project X. Specifically, the LBNE Neutrino Beam Facility aims for a 2+ MW, 60 -120 GeV pulsed, high intensity proton beam produced in the Project X accelerator intercepted by a low Z solid target to facilitate the production of low energy neutrinos. The multi-MW level LBNE proton beam will be characterized by intensities of the order of 1.6 e+14 p/pulse, {\sigma} radius of 1.5 -3.5 mm and a 9.8 microsecond pulse length. These parameters are expected to push many target materials to their limit thus making the target design very challenging. To address a host of critical design issues revealed by recent high intensity beam on target experience a series of experimental studies on radiation damage and thermal shock response conducted at BNL focusing on low-Z materials have been undertaken with the latest one focusing on LBNE.