Characterisation of the neutron beam in the n_TOF-EAR2 experimental area at CERN following the spallation target upgrade

The n_TOF Collaboration; P. Žugec; T. Wright; P. J. Woods; A. Wallner; R. Vlastou; D. Vescovi; P. Vaz; V. Variale; S. Valenta; S. Urlass; P. Torres-Sánchez; N. Terranova; D. Tarrío; A. Tarifeño-Saldivia; G. Tagliente; M. Spelta; N. V. Sosnin; A. G. Smith; A. Sekhar; D. Schumann; P. Schillebeeckx; A. Sánchez; C. Rubbia; F. Romano; Y. Romanets; D. Rochman; R. Reifarth; T. Rauscher; N. Protti; J. Praena; I. Porras; S. Pomp; E. Pirovano; L. Piersanti; C. Petrone; J. Perkowski; M. G. Pellegriti; P. Pérez-Maroto; A. Oprea; A. Negret; A. Musumarra; F. Murtas; R. Mucciola; P. M. Milazzo; V. Michalopoulou; A. Mengoni; E. Mendoza; A. Mazzone; E. A. Maugeri; G. Cescutti

doi:10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01727-x

Characterisation of the neutron beam in the n_TOF-EAR2 experimental area at CERN following the spallation target upgrade

The n_TOF Collaboration
, P. Žugec
, T. Wright
, P. J. Woods
, A. Wallner
, R. Vlastou
, D. Vescovi
, P. Vaz
, V. Variale
, S. Valenta
, S. Urlass
, P. Torres-Sánchez
, N. Terranova
, D. Tarrío
, A. Tarifeño-Saldivia
, G. Tagliente
, M. Spelta
, N. V. Sosnin
, A. G. Smith
, A. Sekhar

D. Schumann, P. Schillebeeckx, A. Sánchez, C. Rubbia, F. Romano, Y. Romanets, D. Rochman, R. Reifarth, T. Rauscher, N. Protti, J. Praena, I. Porras, S. Pomp, E. Pirovano, L. Piersanti, C. Petrone, J. Perkowski, M. G. Pellegriti, P. Pérez-Maroto, A. Oprea, A. Negret, A. Musumarra, F. Murtas, R. Mucciola, P. M. Milazzo, V. Michalopoulou, A. Mengoni, E. Mendoza, A. Mazzone, E. A. Maugeri, G. Cescutti

School of Physics, Engineering & Computer Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The n_TOF facility at CERN has undergone a major upgrade after the installation of a new spallation target, designed to improve the performance of both neutron beamlines at the experimental areas 1 and 2 (EAR1 and EAR2) and the commissioning of a new experimental area (NEAR). Due to improved coupling of the spallation target with the EAR2 beamline, the upgrade resulted in a significantly increased neutron flux and improved neutron energy resolution. This paper presents the results of the commissioning phase that followed to characterise the EAR2 neutron beamline and validate the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations of the facility. The main characteristics of the neutron beam, namely the neutron flux, spatial profile and energy resolution, are evaluated and compared to the previous target. The neutron flux presents a general increase of 20% below 1 eV, 40% between 1 eV and 100 keV and 50% between 100 keV and 10 MeV. The measured width of the beam profile was 3 cm full width at half maximum (FWHM) at the reference position for neutron capture measurements. The energy resolution with the new spallation target shows a significant improvement compared to the previous one. Moreover, FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations present a good agreement with the measured neutron flux and profile within uncertainties, and a remarkable reproduction of the energy resolution.

Original language	English
Article number	277
Number of pages	15
Journal	European Physical Journal A
Volume	61
Issue number	227
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01727-x
Publication status	Published - 8 Dec 2025

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© Crown 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
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The n_TOF Collaboration, Žugec, P., Wright, T., Woods, P. J., Wallner, A., Vlastou, R., Vescovi, D., Vaz, P., Variale, V., Valenta, S., Urlass, S., Torres-Sánchez, P., Terranova, N., Tarrío, D., Tarifeño-Saldivia, A., Tagliente, G., Spelta, M., Sosnin, N. V., Smith, A. G., ... Cescutti, G. (2025). Characterisation of the neutron beam in the n_TOF-EAR2 experimental area at CERN following the spallation target upgrade. European Physical Journal A, 61(227), Article 277. https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01727-x

@article{750d65421dad431ca13b411983f0703f,

title = "Characterisation of the neutron beam in the n\_TOF-EAR2 experimental area at CERN following the spallation target upgrade",

abstract = "The n\_TOF facility at CERN has undergone a major upgrade after the installation of a new spallation target, designed to improve the performance of both neutron beamlines at the experimental areas 1 and 2 (EAR1 and EAR2) and the commissioning of a new experimental area (NEAR). Due to improved coupling of the spallation target with the EAR2 beamline, the upgrade resulted in a significantly increased neutron flux and improved neutron energy resolution. This paper presents the results of the commissioning phase that followed to characterise the EAR2 neutron beamline and validate the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations of the facility. The main characteristics of the neutron beam, namely the neutron flux, spatial profile and energy resolution, are evaluated and compared to the previous target. The neutron flux presents a general increase of 20\% below 1 eV, 40\% between 1 eV and 100 keV and 50\% between 100 keV and 10 MeV. The measured width of the beam profile was 3 cm full width at half maximum (FWHM) at the reference position for neutron capture measurements. The energy resolution with the new spallation target shows a significant improvement compared to the previous one. Moreover, FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations present a good agreement with the measured neutron flux and profile within uncertainties, and a remarkable reproduction of the energy resolution.",

author = "\{The n\_TOF Collaboration\} and P. {\v Z}ugec and T. Wright and Woods, \{P. J.\} and A. Wallner and R. Vlastou and D. Vescovi and P. Vaz and V. Variale and S. Valenta and S. Urlass and P. Torres-S{\'a}nchez and N. Terranova and D. Tarr{\'i}o and A. Tarife{\~n}o-Saldivia and G. Tagliente and M. Spelta and Sosnin, \{N. V.\} and Smith, \{A. G.\} and A. Sekhar and D. Schumann and P. Schillebeeckx and A. S{\'a}nchez and C. Rubbia and F. Romano and Y. Romanets and D. Rochman and R. Reifarth and T. Rauscher and N. Protti and J. Praena and I. Porras and S. Pomp and E. Pirovano and L. Piersanti and C. Petrone and J. Perkowski and Pellegriti, \{M. G.\} and P. P{\'e}rez-Maroto and A. Oprea and A. Negret and A. Musumarra and F. Murtas and R. Mucciola and Milazzo, \{P. M.\} and V. Michalopoulou and A. Mengoni and E. Mendoza and A. Mazzone and Maugeri, \{E. A.\} and G. Cescutti",

note = "{\textcopyright} Crown 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "8",

doi = "10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01727-x",

language = "English",

volume = "61",

journal = "European Physical Journal A",

issn = "1434-6001",

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number = "227",

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The n_TOF Collaboration, Žugec, P, Wright, T, Woods, PJ, Wallner, A, Vlastou, R, Vescovi, D, Vaz, P, Variale, V, Valenta, S, Urlass, S, Torres-Sánchez, P, Terranova, N, Tarrío, D, Tarifeño-Saldivia, A, Tagliente, G, Spelta, M, Sosnin, NV, Smith, AG, Sekhar, A, Schumann, D, Schillebeeckx, P, Sánchez, A, Rubbia, C, Romano, F, Romanets, Y, Rochman, D, Reifarth, R, Rauscher, T, Protti, N, Praena, J, Porras, I, Pomp, S, Pirovano, E, Piersanti, L, Petrone, C, Perkowski, J, Pellegriti, MG, Pérez-Maroto, P, Oprea, A, Negret, A, Musumarra, A, Murtas, F, Mucciola, R, Milazzo, PM, Michalopoulou, V, Mengoni, A, Mendoza, E, Mazzone, A, Maugeri, EA & Cescutti, G 2025, 'Characterisation of the neutron beam in the n_TOF-EAR2 experimental area at CERN following the spallation target upgrade', European Physical Journal A, vol. 61, no. 227, 277. https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01727-x

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterisation of the neutron beam in the n_TOF-EAR2 experimental area at CERN following the spallation target upgrade

AU - The n_TOF Collaboration

AU - Žugec, P.

AU - Wright, T.

AU - Woods, P. J.

AU - Wallner, A.

AU - Vlastou, R.

AU - Vescovi, D.

AU - Vaz, P.

AU - Variale, V.

AU - Valenta, S.

AU - Urlass, S.

AU - Torres-Sánchez, P.

AU - Terranova, N.

AU - Tarrío, D.

AU - Tarifeño-Saldivia, A.

AU - Tagliente, G.

AU - Spelta, M.

AU - Sosnin, N. V.

AU - Smith, A. G.

AU - Sekhar, A.

AU - Schumann, D.

AU - Schillebeeckx, P.

AU - Sánchez, A.

AU - Rubbia, C.

AU - Romano, F.

AU - Romanets, Y.

AU - Rochman, D.

AU - Reifarth, R.

AU - Rauscher, T.

AU - Protti, N.

AU - Praena, J.

AU - Porras, I.

AU - Pomp, S.

AU - Pirovano, E.

AU - Piersanti, L.

AU - Petrone, C.

AU - Perkowski, J.

AU - Pellegriti, M. G.

AU - Pérez-Maroto, P.

AU - Oprea, A.

AU - Negret, A.

AU - Musumarra, A.

AU - Murtas, F.

AU - Mucciola, R.

AU - Milazzo, P. M.

AU - Michalopoulou, V.

AU - Mengoni, A.

AU - Mendoza, E.

AU - Mazzone, A.

AU - Maugeri, E. A.

AU - Cescutti, G.

N1 - © Crown 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

PY - 2025/12/8

Y1 - 2025/12/8

N2 - The n_TOF facility at CERN has undergone a major upgrade after the installation of a new spallation target, designed to improve the performance of both neutron beamlines at the experimental areas 1 and 2 (EAR1 and EAR2) and the commissioning of a new experimental area (NEAR). Due to improved coupling of the spallation target with the EAR2 beamline, the upgrade resulted in a significantly increased neutron flux and improved neutron energy resolution. This paper presents the results of the commissioning phase that followed to characterise the EAR2 neutron beamline and validate the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations of the facility. The main characteristics of the neutron beam, namely the neutron flux, spatial profile and energy resolution, are evaluated and compared to the previous target. The neutron flux presents a general increase of 20% below 1 eV, 40% between 1 eV and 100 keV and 50% between 100 keV and 10 MeV. The measured width of the beam profile was 3 cm full width at half maximum (FWHM) at the reference position for neutron capture measurements. The energy resolution with the new spallation target shows a significant improvement compared to the previous one. Moreover, FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations present a good agreement with the measured neutron flux and profile within uncertainties, and a remarkable reproduction of the energy resolution.

AB - The n_TOF facility at CERN has undergone a major upgrade after the installation of a new spallation target, designed to improve the performance of both neutron beamlines at the experimental areas 1 and 2 (EAR1 and EAR2) and the commissioning of a new experimental area (NEAR). Due to improved coupling of the spallation target with the EAR2 beamline, the upgrade resulted in a significantly increased neutron flux and improved neutron energy resolution. This paper presents the results of the commissioning phase that followed to characterise the EAR2 neutron beamline and validate the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations of the facility. The main characteristics of the neutron beam, namely the neutron flux, spatial profile and energy resolution, are evaluated and compared to the previous target. The neutron flux presents a general increase of 20% below 1 eV, 40% between 1 eV and 100 keV and 50% between 100 keV and 10 MeV. The measured width of the beam profile was 3 cm full width at half maximum (FWHM) at the reference position for neutron capture measurements. The energy resolution with the new spallation target shows a significant improvement compared to the previous one. Moreover, FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations present a good agreement with the measured neutron flux and profile within uncertainties, and a remarkable reproduction of the energy resolution.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105026565669

U2 - 10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01727-x

DO - 10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01727-x

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105026565669

SN - 1434-6001

VL - 61

JO - European Physical Journal A

JF - European Physical Journal A

IS - 227

M1 - 277

ER -

Characterisation of the neutron beam in the n_TOF-EAR2 experimental area at CERN following the spallation target upgrade

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