Eur. Phys. J. A (2013) 49: 40
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2013-13040-9

Special Article - Experimental Physics

The Miniball spectrometer

¹⁹⁸⁷⁰ Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Straße 77, D-50937, Köln, Germany
²⁹⁸⁷⁰ PH Department, ISOLDE, CERN, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
³⁹⁸⁷⁰ Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA, Groningen, The Netherlands
⁴⁹⁸⁷⁰ Sektion Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, D-85748, Garching, Germany
⁵⁹⁸⁷⁰ Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
⁶⁹⁸⁷⁰ Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64289, Darmstadt, Germany
⁷⁹⁸⁷⁰ Max-Planck-Insitut für Kernphysik, D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany
⁸⁹⁸⁷⁰ Physik Department E12, Technische Universität München, D-85748, Garching, Germany
⁹⁹⁸⁷⁰ Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZE, Liverpool, UK
¹⁰⁹⁸⁷⁰ Fysiska Institutionen, Lunds Universitet, Box 118, 221 00, Lund, Sweden
¹¹⁹⁸⁷⁰ Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds (GANIL), F-14021, Caen CEDEX, France
¹²⁹⁸⁷⁰ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, Edinburgh, UK
¹³⁹⁸⁷⁰ Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie/Centre d’Etude de l’nergie Nuclaire (SCK CEN), B-2400, Mol, Belgium
¹⁴⁹⁸⁷⁰ Department of High Energy Physics, Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, Russia
¹⁵⁹⁸⁷⁰ Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung, Planckstraße 1, D-64291, Darmstadt, Germany
¹⁶⁹⁸⁷⁰ CSNSM, CNRS/IN2P3, Université Paris-Sud 11, UMR8609, F-91405, ORSAY-Campus, France
¹⁷⁹⁸⁷⁰ Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
¹⁸⁹⁸⁷⁰ Helsinki Institute of Physics, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
¹⁹⁹⁸⁷⁰ Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, MailStop 88R0192, 1 Cyclotron Road, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA
²⁰⁹⁸⁷⁰ Heavy Ion Laboratory, Warsaw University, Pasteura 5A, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland
²¹⁹⁸⁷⁰ Nuclear Physics Group, Department of Physics, University of York, YO10 5DD, York, UK
²²⁹⁸⁷⁰ Institut de Recherches Subatomiques, F-67037, Strasbourg CEDEX 2, France
²³⁹⁸⁷⁰ II. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Göttingen, D-37073, Göttingen, Germany
²⁴⁹⁸⁷⁰ School of Engineering and Science, University of West Scotland, PA1 2BE, Paisley, UK
²⁵⁹⁸⁷⁰ Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen-und Kernphysik, Universität Bonn, Nußallee 14-16, D-53115, Bonn, Germany
²⁶⁹⁸⁷⁰ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, Maryland, USA
²⁷⁹⁸⁷⁰ AB Department, ISOLDE, CERN, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
²⁸⁹⁸⁷⁰ Université Louis Pasteur, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, CS 90032, F-67081, Strasbourg CEDEX, France

^* e-mail: warr@ikp.uni-koeln.de

Received: 23 November 2012
Accepted: 12 March 2013
Published online: 26 March 2013

Abstract

The Miniball germanium detector array has been operational at the REX (Radioactive ion beam EXperiment) post accelerator at the Isotope Separator On-Line facility ISOLDE at CERN since 2001. During the last decade, a series of successful Coulomb excitation and transfer reaction studies have been performed with this array, utilizing the unique and high-quality radioactive ion beams which are available at ISOLDE. In this article, an overview is given of the technical details of the full Miniball setup, including a description of the -ray and particle detectors, beam monitoring devices and methods to deal with beam contamination. The specific timing properties of the REX-ISOLDE facility are highlighted to indicate the sensitivity that can be achieved with the full Miniball setup. The article is finalized with a summary of some physics highlights at REX-ISOLDE and the utilization of the Miniball germanium detectors at other facilities.