ELBE (radiation source)

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ELBE main accelerator

The radiation source SAME ( E lektronen L inearbeschleuniger for high beams B rillanz and low E mittanz) is a major research unit at the Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf . It consists of a superconducting electron accelerator and several connected systems that generate various types of secondary radiation .

history

The inauguration of the ELBE at the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf took place in 2001. The user operation at the SAME for scientists from other research institutions from around the world began in 2004. Since 2005, represents an investment bremsstrahlung available (called γELBE, according to the generated γ-radiation ). The two free-electron lasers, which are fed with radiation from the ELBE and generate infrared radiation (called FELBE), were put into operation in 2004 and 2007, respectively. In addition to the conventional electron gun , a superconducting electron gun was also put into operation in 2007 to generate the electrons. Also in 2007 the neutron source (called nELBE) was added.

From 2010, an extensive expansion took place, with which the ELBE was extended by a second building and additional radiation sources, including for positrons (called pELBE) and terahertz radiation (TELBE). The expanded ELBE was inaugurated in February 2013.

investment

The ELBE accelerator consists of a conventional and a superconducting electron gun (also called an injector or gun) as well as a multi-part, superconducting linear accelerator for electrons . The accelerator can deliver an electron beam with electron energies of up to 40 MeV and can be operated either in continuous wave mode with a beam current of up to 1.6 mA or with pulses of up to 100 µs. The pulses can also be split into micropulses 1–5 ps in length by microbunching .

In addition to the possibility of using the electron beam directly in experiments, various types of secondary radiation are generated in several systems directly connected to the ELBE accelerator :

  • FELBE : Two free-electron lasers deliver coherent infrared radiation with a wavelength of 5–250 µm. This can also be directed to the neighboring high-field laboratory .
  • γELBE : By bombarding a niobium foil with the electron beam from ELBE accelerator produced bremsstrahlung , as gamma rays with energies of several MeV is available for experiments.
  • NELBE : The electron beam from the ELBE accelerator is shot at a target made of hot, liquid lead , which generates neutrons with energies of 10 keV to 15 MeV.
  • pELBE : The ELBE electron beam is directed onto a target made of tungsten. This creates pairs of monoenergetic electrons and positrons. The positrons are guided by deflection magnets to a post-accelerator, which can bring them to energies of 500 eV to 15 keV. Under the name EPOS (ELBE Positron Source), positrons from the bremsstrahlung of the γELBE measuring station and from a source of the β + radiator sodium -22 that is independent of the ELBE accelerator are also available.
  • TELBE : Terahertz radiation is generated in two different ways with the electron beam of the ELBE accelerator : On the one hand, a diffraction emitter can generate broadband terahertz pulses with frequencies from 100 GHz to 3 THz, and on the other hand, narrow-band pulses from the same frequency range can be generated using an undulator . Pulse durations of around 30 fs at repetition rates of 100 kHz and more are achieved on both routes.

By combining the ELBE accelerator with the high-performance laser DRACO (Dresden Laser Acceleration Source), new methods for laser particle acceleration are being researched.

research

In materials research different types of radiation are used from the SAME. For example, the electron pulses themselves can provide information about the crystal structure of samples, which allows a wide range of material characterizations. The gamma radiation from the ELBE also allows the structure of atomic nuclei to be examined directly. With the help of positrons and infrared radiation from the free-electron lasers, semiconductors or new types of materials such as graphene can be investigated and further developed. With the transmission of the FELBE infrared radiation to the neighboring high-field magnet laboratory , experiments with high-field infrared spectroscopy are possible there. For example, the behavior of superconducting materials was investigated. With positrons, weld seams or fine membranes can also be examined for their quality. In addition, a possible material for new WLAN transmitters has been tested with the help of the terahertz radiation source .

For medicine , on the one hand, the effect of various types of radiation on living tissue is being investigated at ELBE, which is intended to improve radiation therapy . Researchers here are also working directly on the development of compact systems for irradiation based on laser particle acceleration . In contrast to the very large and complex systems that are customary today, these should enable radiation therapy to be used on a broad basis. In addition, the transmission of nerve stimuli was investigated using terahertz radiation from the ELBE .

The astrophysics makes both the gamma and neutron radiation from the SAME advantage to the operations recreate that inside stars to new educational elements lead.

Last but not least, the ELBE systems are also used to develop new electron guns for accelerator physics or to improve the beam properties of the ELBE accelerator itself.

User operation

The ELBE is also used regularly by external scientists. Access to the facilities is free of charge for non-commercial research. The allocation of the measurement time is based on the recommendations of an international expert committee of scientists from various disciplines.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: The history of the research location Dresden-Rossendorf
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Landscape of research infrastructures: ELBE - Center for high-power radiation sources
  3. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Bremsstrahlung at ELBE
  4. ^ Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf: Press release: Electrons turned into light
  5. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Press release: First superconducting cannon for accelerators in use
  6. ↑ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Press release: Saxony invests in excellence
  7. ↑ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: The superconducting electron linear accelerator
  8. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Electron-beam testing station for detectors
  9. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Radiation source ELBE: Available radiation sources
  10. ↑ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: The free-electron laser at the ELBE - Center for high-power radiation sources
  11. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Bremsstrahlung at ELBE
  12. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Neutrons at ELBE
  13. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Positrons at ELBE
  14. ^ Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf: Press release: A new league for terahertz light sources
  15. ^ Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf: High-Field High-Repetition-Rate Terahertz facility @ ELBE (TELBE)
  16. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Laser particle acceleration in the Institute for Radiation Physics
  17. ↑ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Group Laser Radiation Oncology
  18. ^ Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf: Superconducting Radio Frequency Photo Electron Injector
  19. ↑ Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf: Information for applying for measurement time for the ELBE radiation source