Development of a jet gas target system for the Felsenkeller underground accelerator

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development of a high-purity, stable gas jet target system for nuclear astrophysics experiments at the Felsenkeller underground accelerator, emphasizing in-situ thickness measurement and potential applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel gas jet target system with optical interferometry for in-situ thickness measurement, enhancing stability and purity for nuclear astrophysics research.

Findings

Target system under construction at Felsenkeller

Optical interferometry enables in-situ thickness measurement

Potential for improved nuclear astrophysics experiments

Abstract

For direct cross-section measurements in nuclear astrophysics, in addition to suitable ion beams and detectors, also highly pure and stable targets are needed. Here, using a gas jet as a target offers an attractive approach that combines high stability even under significant beam load with excellent purity and high localisation. Such a target is currently under construction at the Felsenkeller underground ion accelerator lab for nuclear astrophysics in Dresden, Germany. The target thickness will be measured by optical interferometry, allowing an in-situ thickness determination including also beam-induced effects. The contribution reports on the status of this new system and outlines possible applications in nuclear astrophysics.