Compact accelerator-based neutron sources offer a promising alternative to small and medium neutron research facilities. They do not require research reactors or high-energy spallation sources as they efficiently utilize nuclear processes at low acceleration energies.
Within the Research Field Matter of the Helmholtz Association a funding scheme has been offered to support innovative research and technology projects essential for the advancement of research infrastructures. These so-called Innovation Pool Projects are half funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Helmholtz centres within the research field Matter.
For the research and development of the various components and areas relevant to establish a high brilliance compact accelerator based neutron source an Innovation Pool project on “High current accelerator systems for future HBS” has been set up staring in 2019.
In four corresponding work packages a collaboration between scientists from Forschungszentrum Jülich (WP2, WP3), Helmholtz-Zentrum hereon (WP4), and GSI Helmholtz Institute Mainz (WP1) was established
- Linear pulsed proton accelerator cavities, basic concept and prototyping (WP1)
- Fast proton beam multiplexing and beam dynamics (WP2))
- Neutron target- and moderator development (WP3)
- Neutron beam extraction and instrumentation (WP4)
From 2021 the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf has joint this collaboration with a further work package (WP5) added to the project
Neutron targets for imaging and irradiation experiments (WP5)
The current project has been prolonged and funded towards 2023 with an annual budget of about 0.5 Mio EUR. The project aims to lay the technological foundations for a new kind of accelerator-based neutron source in Germany.
BMBF and Helmholtz Centres to Support HBS Project
