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FORINFRA-Nasj.sats. forskn.infrastrukt

NEW GENERATION SCINTILLATOR DETECTORS FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH IN NORWAY

Alternative title: OSCAR

Awarded: NOK 23.1 mill.

The national infrastructure OSCAR, consisting of 28 large volume LaBr3(Ce) scintillation detectors, is a unique instrument which is used to detect highly energetic photons, commonly called gammas, which is stationed at the Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory at the University of Oslo. This new infrastructure has given UiO a unique facility, enabling the nuclear physics program at OCL to advance and remain competitive at the highest level internationally for many years to come. Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), who is a partner in the project, will explore the possibility to use this new type of detector for applications related to the oil industry. The superior energy resolution of LaBr3(Ce)-detectors, compared to the previous NaI-detectors of CACTUS, has made it possible to perform spectroscopy of discrete energy levels at OCL for the first time. Combining this with the high efficiency for detecting high energy gamma rays (compared to conventional Ge-detectors), offers the possibility to perform an entirely new class of experiments. In addition to using the infrastructure at OCL, the research group at UiO has carried the Norwegian LaBr3(Ce) to international facilities, such as ISOLDE at Cern and iThemba Labs, to be used in experiments which cannot be performed at OCL. This has given UiO possibilities to be involved in experiments on exotic nuclei and to expand the scientific possibilities which one can experience at UiO. The OSCAR array has also helped to increase international collaboration as students from other universities have proposed and carried out experiments at OCL where the data will be used in masters and PhD theses. This collaboration includes students from Michigan State University, UC Berkeley, iThemba Labs and TU Darmstadt.

It is proposed to build a new detector array based on LaBr3(Ce) scintillator crystals to be hosted by the Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory (OCL). The new infrastructure will lead to a unique facility, which will enable the nuclear physics program at OCL to remain competitive on the highest level for many years to come. The new infrastructure will allow not only the continuation of the existing research program, but a significant expansion due to the superior energy resolution of LaBr3(Ce) detectors, which will make it possible for the first time to perform spectroscopy of discrete energy levels at OCL. This new quality offers the possibility to perform an entirely new class of experiments. The new infrastructure will help to attract the best students and more international researchers to OCL. In addition, the possibility to use Norwegian LaBr3 detectors in campaigns at international facilities such as CERN-ISOLDE offers new and unique possibilities to complement the scientific program at OCL with radioactive-beam experiments, further increasing the visibility of Norwegian research in nuclear physics. There is also a strong interest in LaBr3 detector technology from the nuclear medicine, nuclear energy, and nuclear safety communities, providing opportunities for cooperation with applied researchers and industry. Fundamental research generates favorable conditions for scientific and technological breakthroughs and ensures training at the highest possible level. The Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory plays an important educational role and is of high importance to secure competence in the field of nuclear research in Norway.

Funding scheme:

FORINFRA-Nasj.sats. forskn.infrastrukt

Funding Sources