Knowledge of the neutron capture of copper and cobalt isotopes is important for the understanding of abundances of the heavier elements produced via the weak $s$ process. There are considerable discrepancies for the $^{63}\mathrm{Cu}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{64}\mathrm{Cu}$ and $^{65}\mathrm{Cu}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{66}\mathrm{Cu}$ cross-section values in the literature. New measurements of these cross sections were performed at the SARAF phase I facility using a high-power quasi-Maxwellian neutron source produced by irradiation of the liquid-lithium target (LiLiT) with an intense continuous-wave proton beam. The cross sections were measured by counting the activity of the irradiated targets. The measurement allowed us to evaluate the $^{63}\mathrm{Cu}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{64}\mathrm{Cu}$, $^{65}\mathrm{Cu}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{66}\mathrm{Cu}$, and $^{59}\mathrm{Co}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{60}\mathrm{Co}$ Maxwellian averaged cross sections at 30 keV, obtaining values of $70.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.{8}_{\mathrm{exp}}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.{4}_{\mathrm{syst}}$, $26.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.{5}_{\mathrm{exp}}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.{0}_{\mathrm{syst}}$, and $38.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.{9}_{\mathrm{exp}}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.{9}_{\mathrm{syst}}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mb}$, respectively. The results are compared with previous measurements in the literature.

Knowledge of the neutron capture of copper and cobalt isotopes is important for the understanding of abundances of the heavier elements produced via the weak s process. There are considerable discrepancies for the Cu-63(n, gamma)Cu-64 and Cu-65(n, gamma)Cu-66 cross-section values in the literature. New measurements of these cross sections were performed at the SARAF phase I facility using a high-power quasi-Maxwellian neutron source produced by irradiation of the liquid-lithium target (LiLiT) with an intense continuous-wave proton beam. The cross sections were measured by counting the activity of the irradiated targets. The measurement allowed us to evaluate the Cu-63(n, gamma)Cu-64, Cu-65(n, gamma)Cu-66, and Co-59(n, gamma)Co-60 Maxwellian averaged cross sections at 30 keV, obtaining values of 70.4 +/- 1.8(exp) +/- 2.4(syst), 26.8 +/- 1.5(exp) +/- 1.0(syst), and 38.1 +/- 0.9(exp) +/- 0.9(syst) mb, respectively. The results are compared with previous measurements in the literature.

Phase I of the SARAF superconducting RF linac is under operation at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center. The present status of Phase I main components is reported, as well as, the beam operation experience accumulated in 2013-2014. The latter include acceleration of a 2 mA and 1.6 mA CW proton beams at energies of 2 MeV and 3.9 MeV correspondingly and 1 mA pulsed, duty cycle of few %, deuteron beams up to 5.6 MeV. The recent experiments include operation of intense CW proton beams on the liquid lithium target.

This report outlines the status of beam operations at the SARAF accelerator during 2012. Performance of various accelerator subsystems, their limiting factors and the recent improvements are presented. The accumulated experience of proton beam operation is summarized. Future prospects are discussed.

The Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF) design is based on a 40 MeV 5 mA light ions superconducting RF linac. Phase I of SARAF delivers up to 2 mA CW proton beam in an energy range of 1.5-4.5 MeV. The maximum beam power that we have reached is 4.5 kW. The warming of the SARAF linac RF couplers is currently the main limiting factor for reaching higher CW beam power. The coupler cooling configuration was optimized by increasing the cold window copper braid and adding a copper braid to the top end, using CST Multiphysics and ANSYS steady state and transient solvers. The study was conducted for the heat load generated by the surface currents of a matched 4 kW forward CW power, simulated by the CST MWS FD solver. Multipacting is a known potential heat source that overheats the coupler in the vicinity of the cold window. The coupler overheat phenomena was experimentally studied as a function of a DC bias voltage. It was found that a 900 V bias reduces significantly the heating rate. As a result we expect that the beam power could be significantly increased. The long overheat period implies that optimization of the coupler heat leads is still needed.

The Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF) is built as a user facility. An intense fast neutrons source, a thermal neutrons source and apparatuses for production of isotopes for basic and applied research will be available at the end of construction, foreseen in several years. SARAF is based on a high intensity CW proton / deuteron RF superconducting linear accelerator. Several novel technologies are used in order to build this demanding linac. To reduce technological risks, the construction was divided in two Phases. Phase-I was constructed in order to test and characterize the novel technologies and is in routine operation since 2010. SARAF phase-I, with its single 6 half-wave resonators separated vacuum cryomodule, is the first high current, superconducting low-beta linac in operation and it is presently delivering CW mA proton beams for target developments. Phase-II of this linac will allow acceleration up to 40 MeV and 5 mA CW proton and deuteron beams. Phase-II is now under conceptual redesign. The project status, the operational experience and the future goals of SARAF are described and discussed in this paper. INTRUDUCTION

We describe design and simulations of a fast beam chopper for the SARAF accelerator based on an RF deflector preceding the RFQ. The SARAF 176 MHz RFQ, takes a DC proton or deuteron beam and accelerates and bunches the beam to 1.5 MeV/u and bunches of 0.3 ns width (FWHM) every 5.5 ns respectively. The deflector acts on the DC beam and sweeps away all but one of the pre-accelerated (pre)-bunches prior to the actual bunching and acceleration in the RFQ. Simulations were performed for a fast beam chopper, where several deflection voltage pulsing schemes have been investigated. The simulations show effective chopping with alternating positive and negative HV applied to the deflector with a fast HV switch, where the beam is transmitted to the RFQ during the cross-over of the rise(fall) of the HV switching. The simulations show that we can obtain efficient deflection of unwanted bunches, with 60% transmission efficiency for the desired bunch. The present design is for a chopper that will provide 0.3 ns bunches with a repetition rate of similar to 10(5) bunches/sec. Plans for a fast chopper with higher repetition rates of similar to 10(6) Hz are discussed.

L. Weissman, D. Berkovits, A. Arenshtam, Y. Ben-Aliz, Y. Buzaglo, O. Dudovitch, Y. Eisen, I. Eliahu, G. Feinberg, I. Fishman, I. Gavish, I. Gertz, A. Grin, S. Halfon, D. Har-Even, Y. F. Haruvy, D. Hirschmann, T. Hirsh, Z. Horovitz, B. Keizer, D. Kijel, A. Kreisel, G. Lempert, Y. Luner, I. Mardor, A. Perry, E. Reinfeld, J. Rodnizki, G. Shimel, A. Shor, I. Silverman, E. Zemach, Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800 Israel

During commissioning of the first phase of the SARAF accelerator, several tests with ∼ 1 mA proton beam at energy 1.5–3.5 MeV were performed. A commercial VAT copper beam dump was used as a beam stopper. The activation of the beam dump was measured and compared with literature. Beam induced blistering was not observed. The radiological limitation of the beam dump, non observation of the surface deterioration and possible improvements are discussed.

A new beam line was constructed and operated for the first phase of the SARAF LINAC in order to deliver beams to various experiments. In this report concept of the beam line and different subsystems are presented. The details on the hardware and control software are given.

BACKGROUND:Although estradiol levels remain an integral part of monitoring in most IVF programmes, the effect of falling estradiol on IVF outcome has not been adequately quantified. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of falling estradiol levels prior to hCG on IVF outcome.METHODS:This was a retrospective cohort study carried out in a university-based fertility clinic. A total of 112 IVF patients in whom estradiol levels fell prior to the administration of hCG were matched for age and year of treatment with 112 control IVF patients. IVF outcomes including oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, embryos for transfer, and pregnancy rates were compared between the groups.RESULTS:Seventy per cent of women in the falling estradiol group experienced spontaneously falling estradiol levels. Spontaneously falling estradiol was associated with fewer oocytes retrieved (median 5 versus 8, P=0.001), increased rates of failed fertilization (18 versus 6%, P=0.018) and lower clinical pregnancy rates (12 versus 26%, P=0.012) compared to controls. Despite marked decreases in estradiol levels, IVF outcomes for patients whose estradiol levels fell as a result of deliberate protocol modification had similar fertilization and clinical pregnancy rates as controls.CONCLUSIONS:Subtle (<10%) spontaneous decreases in estradiol levels are associated with very poor IVF outcomes.

SARAF Phase-I linac is the first accelerator to demonstrate acceleration of variable energy 2 mA CW proton beam. Such intense beam is used in SARAF Phase-I to irradiate a liquid lithium jet target for nuclear astrophysics studies. Several improvements were necessary to allow beam operation with such high current. The improvements include a DC bias that was introduced on the cavity RF coupler to reduce coupler heating. A new slow chopper was commissioned to enable increase the current by increasing the duty cycle with fewer changes in the beam optics. A beam dump was developed to allow beam studies of a 2 mA CW proton beam. The beam dump is based on tungsten pins which distributes, by radiation, the high beam power over a large area which is then easily water cooled. While most of beam tuning is done using a low intensity pilot beam, some nondestructive methods were studied to monitor the high intensity beam. These include a current transformer and a residual gas monitor (RGM) to monitor beam transverse distribution. Additional valuable information about the beam current and energy is gained from measurements of the nuclear reaction products of the proton on lithium targets.

Phase I of the Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility, SARAF, has been installed and is currently being commissioned at Soreq NRC [1]. According to the Phase I design, SARAF should yield 2 mA proton and deuteron beams at energies up to 4 and 5 MeV, respectively. The status of the main Phase I components is reported. We further present beam commissioning results, which include acceleration of a 1 mA CW proton beam up to 3 MeV. Further improvements in the facility in order to achieve the desired performance are discussed.

The Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility, SARAF, is currently under construction at Soreq NRC. SARAF is based on a continuous wave (CW), proton/deuteron RF superconducting linear accelerator with variable energy (5–40 MeV) and current (0.04-2 mA). Phase I of SARAF consists of a 20 keV/u ECR ion source, a low energy beam transport section, a 4-rod RFQ, a medium energy (1.5 MeV/u) transport section, a superconducting module housing 6 half-wave resonators and 3 superconducting solenoids, a diagnostic plate and a beam dump. Phase II will include 5 additional superconducting modules. The RFQ is in routine operation with protons since 2008 and has been further operated with molecular hydrogen and deuterons at low duty cycle. RF conditioning of the RFQ to enable deuteron CW acceleration is on going. The RF fields and dynamic cryogenic losses of the superconducting module have been measured with a VCO and the phase and amplitude stability at high fields has been measured with the SARAF LLRF system. Furthermore, proton and deuteron beams have been accelerated through the superconducting module. These were the first ever ion beams to be accelerated through half-wave resonators. Recent SARAF Phase I commissioning results are presented.