SOLITAIRE: A new generation solenoidal fusion product separator

A superconducting solenoidal fusion product separator, based on a 6.5 T solenoid, has been developed at the Australian National University to enable separation and detection of evaporation residues following heavy-ion fusion reactions. This device, with an angular coverage of 0.45-9.5%degrees, produces a spatial separation between the fusion products and the intense background of elastically scattered beam particles. Its high efficiency allows precise measurement of nuclear fusion cross-sections, as well as being ideal for evaporation residue coincidence measurements. The essential features of the system and the first results obtained are described. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.