Operation with carbon stripping foils at ISIS
Cavanagh HV., Jones B.
The ISIS facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is a pulsed neutron and muon source for physical and life science research. Up to 3×1013 protons per pulse are accelerated to 800 MeV in the 50 Hz rapid cycling synchrotron that serves two spallation neutron targets. Charge exchange injection of 70 MeV H− ions into the synchrotron takes place over 130 turns. For over 30 years ISIS has used 40×120 mm aluminium oxide stripping foils, produced in-house [1]. Recently, foil preparation and installation processes have been simplified with the use of commercially available 40×60 mm carbon stripping foils. This paper summarises operational experiences with diamond-like-carbon (DLC) and graphene foils. Radiological analysis, atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging of foils and off-line irradiation with a 1.5 keV electron gun are also discussed.