Characteristics and Potential Applications of the Proton Beams at the CSNS

Abstract

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is a large scientific research facility mainly serving the multidisciplinary research on material structure by using the neutron scattering technique. The accelerators can provide a proton beam of 120 kW with a repetition rate of 25 Hz, and can be upgraded to 240 kW (CSNS-II) or 500 kW (CSNS-IF). Besides as a driving source for the spallation target, the proton beams can be exploited for various applications both in fundamental research and in applications. The utilization of the CSNS proton beams can be in two different modes: the parasitic mode and the dedicated mode. The former one does not affect the normal operation of the spallation neutron source, and the latter can provide the full potential of the CSNS accelerators. Applications using the CSNS proton beams will be in two separate areas, utilizing the beams from the linac and from the RCS, respectively. Some of the CSNS proton beam applications are space single event effect and space radiology studies, white neutron source, proton therapy on ocular melanomas and low-depth cancers, fast neutron therapy, and borium capture neutron therapy. Other applications, such as testing studies of particle detectors, non-space radio-biological studies, radiation material studies, and nuclear physics, are also under consideration.