Minutes from the ISOLDE Physics Group meeting on April 15^th, 2015

No comments to the minutes of the PG meeting held last week.

Technical news

• Separator course was held last week on GPS and HRS.
• GPS:
  
  • The SEM-grid was installed after the separator course (Thursday) to tune protons towards ISOLDE. No losses observed from PSB to GPS target, although the focusing might not be ideal. Grid taken out Monday.
  • New target, nano-structure carbon, (#513) was installed Tuesday for ⁸B yield tests. Yield will be tested both at ISOLDE tape station, in a tailored prepared decay setup at LA1 and at ISOLTRAP.
  • Next Monday the molten lead target (#511) will be installed for laser spectroscopy in the VADIS source of mercury isotopes, in collaboration with the Windmill group and ISOLTRAP.
  • Faraday cup FC490 cable was replaced. Overshoot and undershoot currents are still being observed. To be investigated by the beam diagnostics group.
• HRS:
  
  • ISCOOL transmission in continuous mode performs as last year at 30 kV: very good for medium masses, lower for small masses and problems for high masses.
  • Large losses observed for HT larger than 30 kV. Injection electrodes are possible suspects. Currently being polished.
  • First Faraday cup at HRS, FC300, gets stuck. Piston to be replaced.
  • SEM-grid installed Monday-Tuesday to tune PSB proton beam into the HRS target.
  • Separator course’s target, with plasma ion source, installed back after the proton tuning. To be used for ISCOOL tests and COLLAPS stable-beam checks.
• RILIS:
  
  • Access requested to HRS area to increase shielding and to CB0 to exchange the beam diagnostic MCP. Scheduled for Monday, April 20^th.
• REX-ISOLDE:
  
  • Control software problems observed over the weekend. Under investigation.

Schedule

• Several changes necessary in this week’s schedule after target exchanges and delays. See http://isolde.web.cern.ch/experiments/schedules/weekly-schedule for more info.

Safety

• The coordinator reminds users that they must have the experiments safety files finished, approved and released before experimental runs.
• It is necessary to wear a mask if manipulating lead bricks for periods longer than 30 min, to avoid Pb exposure. The bricks will be painted in the near future.
• The non-electrical machines are now available at the B508 workshop. Please tidy the space after every work.

AOB

-There is a visit scheduled for Saturday by a CMS scientist. We’re looking for volunteers.

-Budgets for the installation of B508 kitchen are under review.

-The next meeting will take place at 14:00 Wednesday next week (22^th April 2015) followed by a seminar to be announced.                                                                                                                        Minutes taken by MMF