Eur. Phys. J. A (2009) 42: 447-451
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2009-10783-8

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

Radioactive ion beam experiments with active targets

¹ GANIL, CEA/DSM - CNRS/IN2P3, BP55027, 14076, Caen Cedex 5, France

^* e-mail: patricia.chomaz@ganil.fr

Received: 23 December 2008
Revised: 25 February 2009
Accepted: 17 March 2009
Published online: 3 May 2009

Abstract

By the very nature of secondary beams, their intensity is limited, particularly for beams of the highest interest --farthest away from stability. Active targets, which can be described as time projection chamber (TPC)-like detectors in which the detector gas is the target, have been shown to have the highest sensitivity for quantitative high-resolution studies of rare events. The physics cases that can be addressed with these devices are reviewed and some of the first results obtained with first-generation active targets are detailed. Finally some general ideas on the next generation of active targets are presented