Feasibility study of heavy ion beams and compound target materials for muon production

TL;DR

This study evaluates the feasibility of using heavy ion beams and compound target materials like BeO and B4C for muon production, combining simulation, thermal analysis, and comparison of different beam species.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive simulation and thermal analysis framework for assessing heavy ion and compound materials as muon production targets, which is novel.

Findings

B4C and BeO targets show promising muon yields.

Thermal analysis indicates manageable heat deposition levels.

Heavy ion beams can be effectively used for muon production.

Abstract

We have investigated the feasibility of using compound materials as target for muon production by virtue of simulations using a GEANT4 toolkit. A graphite and two thermostable compound materials, beryllium oxide (BeO) and boron carbide (B4C) were considered as muon production targets and their muon production rates for 600-MeV proton beam were calculated and compared. For thermal analysis, total heat deposited on the targets by the proton beams and the secondary particles was calculated with a MCNPX code, and then the temperature distribution of target was derived from the calculated heat by using an ANSYS code with consideration for heat transfer mechanisms, such as thermal conduction and thermal radiation. In addition, we have investigated whether the heavy ion beams can be utilized for muon production. For various beam species such as 3He2, 4He, 7Li, 10B and 12C, their muon production rates were calculated and compared with that obtained for a proton beam.