Chairman: Karsten Riisager

Scientific Secretary: Mats Lindroos

Present: Peter Butler, Richard Catherall, Luis Fraile, Mark Huyse, Jacques Lettry, Mats Lindroos,  Alex Mueller (for point 1 and 2), Karsten Riisager, Piet Van Duppen

Excused: Reiner Krücken, Thomas Otto and Thierry Stora

1. Minutes of last meeting

• The minutes from the last meeting were approved.

2. HIE-ISOLDE and REX energy upgrade (ML, MH)

• Mats Huyse explained for the meeting that CERN wants clear priorities in time for the different parts of the HIE-ISOLDE project. CERN also expects the collaboration to raise up to 50% of the material budget for the project, either through additional member state contributions or through direct contributions from funding agencies (and the collaboration).
• Mats Lindroos clarified that the project (see file below) has been prepared for a staged approval procedure. Each main topic has been divided into sub-units for which a logical sequence of implementation easily can be identified. The AB department will take input from the users on the priority and refine the project proposal accordingly.
• Alex Muller stressed that HIE-ISOLDE can be linked to the prototyping of the heavy ion (RI) linac for EURISOL. It is at present the only facility in Europe with a charge breeding stage and linear accelerator and it is essential for EURISOL to test these concepts during the design study and the project preparation stage. Consequently, it would be logical to identify some of the resources used within EURISOL DS for the linac as an in-kind contribution to HIE-ISOLDE.
• Jacques Lettry reported on the study of new target material within EURISOL and how this has a link to the HIE-ISOLDE intensity upgrade. Jacques stressed that the intensity upgrade requires needs a careful pre-study and that the design will take time. In particular, the mentioned issue of new robust target materials, new target containers and air activation issues. Jacques also asked if the intensity upgrade would be dropped from the HIE-ISOLDE project or just postponed. Karsten confirmed that the intensity upgrade will continue to be part of the full project and that we should plan for implementation of this upgrade in phase with the linac 4 construction at CERN.
• It was unanimously agreed that the top priority for HIE-ISOLDE is the energy upgrade of REX to 5.5 MeV/u. This upgrade will require a pre-study with prototyping of one cryo module (to start as soon as possible), the installation of a second ventilation stage for the ISOLDE hall extension, the upgrade of the cooling water system, the installation of a second transformer with a patch panel for AC power distribution in the new hall, the beam line upgrade including a new high magnetic rigidity switching magnet, the liquid helium plant with distribution system, instrumentation, cryo-modules and superconducting cavities. A top priority in the very short term will be the financing and hiring of an RF engineer to follow the design, construction and installation work. Peter Butler agreed to prepare a short document for the next INTC meeting to explain the priorities for HIE-ISOLDE and to identify possible channels to raise the necessary additional funds for the first phase of the project. Mats has been asked by the CERN DG to prepare an LoI for the next ESGARD meeting to have HIE-ISOLDE SC cavity prototyping included in the superconducting RF I3 proposal.

3. Priorities for target and ion source development (LF, TS)

• Luis Fraile reported on  realized developments in 2006 and on priorities for 2006-2007 (see file below). Jacques Lettry made a presentation (see file below) prepared by Thierry Stora on the same subject. In total 23 targets were subject to a thorough target test (in total 184 isotopes out of 39 elements were studied for release and yields) since the last upgrade group meeting.
• A UC target for production of Ni and Cu isotopes using RILIS with the transfer line and ionization cavity lined with graphite was tested for suppression of In and Ga. The suppression was good but the Ni yields also dropped. A new test is proposed with a shorter graphite line leaving part of the ionization cavity bare (Nb or Ta). This will, however, increase the In and Ga contamination as well. The target developers stressed that there are several points which need to be clarified before a decision on how to advance with this development. The drop in Ni yields could have been related to a drop in RILIS efficiency as tests prior to the experiment indicated better Ni yields than recorded by the experimentalists. Getting the graphite line slightly behind the hottest point of the transfer line will likely increase its robustness by decreasing the Ta-C reaction rate which leads to brittle TaC.
• A negative ion source was tested in the end of the 2005 run and off-line tests have been done with new types of negative ion sources in 2006. An on-line test for production of Br isotopes will be scheduled for November.
• A target with two transfer lines (which can be individually closed and opened) has been designed to increase effusion efficiency from the target to the ion source . A first prototype has been manufactured and willbe tested off-line in 2006 (and on-line in 2007). This development is also very important for EURISOL.
• A second version of the target with a temperature controlled quartz transfer line for  suppression of Cs was tested in 2006. The yield of Cs was suppressed with three orders of magnitude compared to a normal UC target unit and the yield of K with two orders of magnitude compared to the first version of this target type tested last year.
• The mini-mono source has been tested off-line and a new  SiC target material has been tested.
• For 2007 priorities should be set between a new version of the graphite lined transfer line, test of mini-mono and nano materials for production of C, N and O beams, a new SiC target material with RILIS and quartz line for ^22,23Mg beams and Na suppression and on off-line test of the LIST target from Mainz. Concerning the 2007 priorities it was agreed in the meeting that, given that the RILIS Po development is planned on-line in 2006, and the LIST development needs longer time to be online, the other MiniMono, C line v2 and n-deficient Mg developments could be pursued.
• The upgrade group was delighted to hear that good progress is being made on the new LARIS lab (off-line spectroscopy lab for RILIS). Two second-hand  OPO lasers have been tested and are now being renovated, a full set-up for ionization experiments with spectrometer and ion source is being built, instrumentation is being ordered, good quality second hand equipment recovered in Stockholm will be brought to the lab and a the market survey for a third laser system has started. The plan is to make the first measurements in the summer 2007.  The upgrade group would for the next meeting like to have a short document giving the priorities for the LARIS test program once the new lab is operational. The market survey for a new solid state laser to replace the Cupper Vapor lasers is making good progress and the order should be placed soon.

4. Status of Mini-move and RFQ Cooler (ML)

• Mats Lindroos reported (see file below) on the shutdown planning including the installation of the RFQ cooler and mini-move. There is good progress on mini-move with all drawings completed and all orders placed for manufacturing. The alignment infra structure has been installed by the TS survey group, cable trays and tubing is being installed now and the GSI magnets have been renovated and fitted with new interlocks, contacts and water connectors. The major part of the installation will be completed before Christmas so that the detectors system can be moved this spring. The RFQ cooler is presently being tested off-line in building 275 with an alkali element ion source. The first results are encouraging and emittance measurements and transmission measurements at high voltage have just started. The first quadrupole triplet required for the injection side has been completed at LPC and is now being transported to CERN, this should permit a proper transmission test off-line. The installation work in the hall is making progress with the drawings for the high voltage platform ready and under scrutiny by ATB-IF and SC. A final decision on installation will be taken in the end of November once the progress on installation preparations and off-line tests can be evaluated. If the installation is postponed the plan is to advance with all preparations so that an on-line test can be scheduled for the end of the 2007 run.
• Jacques warned that the installation of collimators for LHC is a major undertaking for the ATB group. ISOLDE has a very ambitious shutdown, installation and off-line testing program and there is a risk that some items have to be postponed.

5. AOB (All)

• The ISOLDE user meeting will take place at CERN 12-14 February 2007.
• The next meeting of the upgrade group will be held 22 May 2007

Minutes by Mats Lindroos, 12/10/06