Energy Calibration of a Van de Graaff Accelerator

Presenter Information

Christopher Prokop, Minnesota State University, MankatoFollow
Ryan Wickland, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Scott Clarke, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Chad Anderson, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Arbin Timilsina, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

27-4-2009 1:00 PM

End Date

27-4-2009 3:00 PM

Student's Major

Physics and Astronomy

Student's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Mentor's Name

Andrew Roberts

Mentor's Department

Physics and Astronomy

Mentor's College

Science, Engineering and Technology

Description

MNSU's Van de Graaff accelerator accelerates ionic particles to high speeds and controls their motion. Manufactured by High Voltage Engineering Corporation, the Van de Graaff Accelerator was brought to our university in 1972. After running for 20 years, the operation was discontinued in 1992. In 2006, a project was started to get the accelerator back in running order. We have been successful rebuilding this 400 kV accelerator using the components acquired fi*om an identical machine decommissioned at St. Cloud State University. The primary components have been reassembled, the damaged components and electronics have been repaired and replaced, the vacuum system has been assembled and tested, the ion source controls have been optimized, and the operational safety/interlock systems have been completed and verified. After recent verification of beam current, we have improved beam dynamics and stability to a point where we can run for extended periods of time. The addition of dipole magnet has allowed us to refine energy selection, energy control and particle identification. The main objective of this project was to perform the absolute energy calibration by using the characteristic resonances at 224 and 340 keV fi'om the '^F(p,aY)0'^ reaction.