Charge state tailoring of relativistic heavy ion beams for the Gamma Factory project at CERN

We present charge-state evolution studies for Pb54+ ion beams passing through stripper foils at relativistic energies of 5.9 GeV/u. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the optimum target material and non-equilibrium thickness for the efficient production of few-electron lead ions, that is, Pb80+ and Pb81+, at the present European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, accelerator facility at energies as high as 5.9 GeV/u. Based on these predictions, an Al stripper foil has been selected for a proof-of-principle measurement in the frame of the Gamma Factory study group. The experimental data confirms a substantial yield of non-bare Pb ions. In addition, a charge-state evolution study for the production of Li-like lead ions Pb79+ is presented, which will be subject of a follow-up experiment in the near future.