Overview of linac applications at future radioactive beam facilities

There is considerable interest worldwide in the research which could be done at a next generation, advanced radioactive beam facility. To generate high quality, intense beams of accelerated radionuclides via the {open_quotes}isotope separator on-line{close_quotes} (ISOL) method requires two major accelerator components: a high power (100 kW) driver device to produce radionuclides in a production target/ion source complex, and a secondary beam accelerator to produce beams of radioactive ions up to energies on the order of 10 MeV per nucleon over a broad mass range. In reviewing the technological challenges of such a facility, several types of modem linear accelerators appear well suited. This paper reviews the properties of the linacs currently under construction and those proposed for future facilities for use either as the driver device or the radioactive beam post-accelerator. Other choices of accelerators, such as cyclotrons, for either the driver or secondary beam devices of a radioactive beam complex will also be compared. Issues to be addressed for the production accelerator include the choice of ion beam types to be used for cost-effective production of radionuclides. For the post-accelerator the choice of ion source technology is critical and dictates the charge-to-mass requirements at the injection stage