Nuclear Physics and Accelerators

Staff

Head:
Research team:
Josep Sempau, Researcher
Juan Antonio Romero, Tech. Support
Alexandre Sánchez, Tech. Support
PhD Student:
Albert Riego
Adrià Casanovas

Aims of the programme

Nuclear Physics
  • Participate in the n-TOF program of nuclear data measurement at CERN and in the later analysis.
  • Participate in the DESPEC and NCAP / FAIR experiments.
  • Identify possible collaborations with European institutions on development of neutron detectors for technological applications (spent fuel containers, etc.)

Accelerators
  • Promote and strengthen R+D in accelerator physics and technologies at the UPC.
  • Carry out the design and construction of a 12 MeV compact race-track microtron of electrons for medical applications.
  • Participate in beam dynamics studies and design calculations for the future linear colliders.


Current Research Projects

Nuclear Physics
  • Nuclear Data for Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Engineering.
    "Datos nucleares para física nuclear e ingeniería nuclear “, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Plan Nacional de Proyectos de investigación fundamental no orientada. Conv. 2011. Code: FPA2011-28770-C03-03 (2012-2014)
    .
    Francisco Calviño
    Total number of researchers: 6

    The two main objectives of this project are:

    1) Continuation of the experimental programme on neutron capture cross section measurements of minor actinides at the n_TOF facility at CERN, including the measurement of the most relevant capture cross sections for the nuclear waste transmutation.
    2) Construction of a He-3 neutron detector with almost 4π angular coverage and very high detection efficiency. This detector will be used to measure the probability of the neutron emission of key nuclei of interest for nuclear technology, nuclear astrophysics and nuclear structure.
  • www.greener.upc.edu


Accelerators

  • Collaboration with the DRM group (Dosimetry and Medical Radiation Physics) at project PRIMO - Advanced tools for linac simulation. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad ref. FIS2012-38480 (2013-2016)
  • 12 MeV race-track microtron. “Desarrollo del sistema ATRIO”. Fundación de Investigación Biomédica del Hospital Gregorio Marañón (2013 – 2014).
    Youri Koubychine
    This is a multidisciplinary and interdepartamental project of the UPC coordinated and managed from the INTE. Its final goal is construction of a compact electron accelerator of race-track microtron type with the output beam energy between 6 MeV and 12 MeV. The work includes conceptual and technical design calculations, definition of technical specifications, assembling and tests of the accelerator systems and, finally, the microtron commissioning. The tasks are carried out in collaboration with other departments of UPC, CIEMAT, Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics (University of Moscow), and a few Spanish medical centers. Currently the project team is developing the RTM control system and power supply module. The rest of the machine systems has been already built and tested. In parallel, the work on definition of design specifications of ATRIO, a demo version of a system for positioning of the accelerator head by a robot, is underway.
  • CLIC Project of CERN. CLIC is a project of a future linear collider considered by the scientific community as a possible future facility for the research of fundamental interactions of matter. . In the framework of this project the group members participates in the research on the Final Focus System with both dedicated (traditional) and local chromaticity correction schemes. The lattice optics, luminosity and tuning procedure are among the issues addressed in these studies. Another activity within this project is the beam dynamic study and elaboration of a proposal of an emittance measurement line for the CLIC.
  • Participation in the CONECTA network (Coordinación Nacional Española para la Ciencia y Tecnología de Aceleradores de partículas).
  • Member of the JUAS (Joint Universities Accelerator School). Person in charge: Youri Koubychine.















Associated laboratories

Closed Research Projects

  • “GREMI – Grup de Recerca de Microtró”. AGAUR - Suport for Research Groups, Ref. 2009 SGR 1516 (2009-2013). PI: Youri Koubychine
  • Microtrón. MICINN-FEDER Scientific and technological infrastructures, Ref. UNPC08-4E-001 (2008-2011). PI: Youri Koubychine
  • Particle accelerator. CIDEM, Program VALTEC - Projects and recovery activities in technology, Ref. VALTEC09-2-35 (2009-2011). PI: Youri Koubychine
  • Puesta en marcha de un microtron compacto de electrones, MICINN – Acciones complementarias FPA2010-11911-E (2011 - 2012). PI: Gabriel Montoro (Dept. TSC, UPC)
  • Optimization costs BPM amplifiers installed in the CTF3 TBL and financing activities of collaboration with CERN. MICINN – Acciones complementarias FPA2009 Ref-08311-E (2010-2011). PI: Gabriel Montoro (Dept. TSC, UPC)
  • Diseño y estudio de viabilidad de un microtrón de circuito compacto para aplicaciones médicas. MEC, Acciones Complemetarias, PCI2005-A7-0284 (2006-2008). PI: Youri Koubychine
  • Aplicación de métodos Monte Carlo al desarrollo de un nuevo race-track microtrón compacto para radioterapia intraoperatoria: optimización del diseño y planificación de tratamientos. MEC, FIS2006-07016 (20007-2009). PI: Josep Sempau
  • Construcción, testeo e instalación de los amplificadores para los monitores de posición del haz de la línea de test de CTF3 del CERN, MEC, Acciones complementarias, FPA2007-30577-E (2008 - 2009). PI: Gabriel Montoro (Dept. TSC, UPC)
  • Microtró Catalunya, CIDEM, RDITSCON07-1-0015 (2007 - 2009). PI: Youri Koubychine

Doctoral theses in progress

Nuclear Physics
PhD Student
Thesis title
Roger Caballero
Experimental analysis of beta delayed neutron emission probability of exotic nuclei
Institution
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Guillem Cortés
PhD Student
Thesis title
Paula Salvador
Measurement of the 240-242Pu neutron-induced fission cross sections
Institution
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Carme Pretel

Accelerators
PhD Student
Thesis title
Hèctor García Morales
Comparative Final Focus System studies for CLIC and other luminosity enhancement studies for future linear colliders
Institution
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Youri Koubychine Merkulov (co-supervised)

Doctoral theses defended in the last five years

Thesis title
Author Name
Tuning and high order optimization of final focus systems of linear colliders
Eduardo Marin
Place & year
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2012
Youri Koubychine Merkulov (co-supervised)
Thesis title
Author Name
Design and characterization of magnetic systems in race-track microtrons
Juan Pablo Rigla Pérez
Place & year
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2013
Youri Koubychine Merkulov
Thesis title
Author Name
Design of a 4Π moderation based neutron detector for DEcay SPECtroscopy (DESPEC) experiment
Vitaly Gorlychev
Place & year
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2014
Guillem Cortés

Publications

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All INTE publications are available here