https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01769-1
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
The Advanced Plunger-Particle detector Array - APPA
1
Accelerator Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
2
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 60439, Lemont, IL, USA
3
Institut für Kernphysik, Universität zu Köln, 50937, Köln, Germany
4
Department of Physics, Oliver Lodge Laboratory, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZE, Liverpool, UK
5
School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, Guildford, UK
6
Grupo de Física Nuclear & IPARCOS, 28040, Madrid, Spain
7
School of Computing Engineering and Physical Sciences, CEI Moncloa, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
8
Department of Physics “E. Pancini”, University of Naples Federico II, 80126, Naples, Italy
9
Ir‘ene Joliot-Curie Laboratory, CNRS/IN2P3, 91405, Orsay, France
10
Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, Michigan State University, 640 South Shaw Lane, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA
11
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, 37235, Nashville, USA
12
Helsinki Institute of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
a
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Received:
15
August
2025
Accepted:
8
December
2025
Published online:
3
February
2026
Abstract
The Advanced Plunger-Particle detector Array (APPA) is a new plunger device constructed to measure lifetimes of excited states in exotic nuclei, particularly those near the N = Z line. This instrument combines a compact plunger device with a charged-particle detector array to increase the experimental sensitivity for low-cross-section lifetime measurements employing fusion-evaporation reactions. APPA can be used in conjunction with the JUROGAM 3 germanium-detector array and with the RITU or MARA recoil separators available at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä (JYFL-ACCLAB). This article outlines the technical details of APPA, presents the lifetime measurement of the 
state in 62Zn, and reports the effect of APPA on the transmission efficiency of MARA and prompt 
-ray and JYUTube detection efficiencies.
Communicated by Wolfram Korten.
© The Author(s) 2026
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