Funded projects 2015-2018

  • 05P15KHFAA: Solution of the time-dependent Dirac equation for highly charged ions in laser pulses of highest intensities, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
  • 05P15PMFAA: Development of a precision high-voltage divider and of fluorescence detectors for the storage ring CRYRING / Further development and deployment of single-photon detectors for laser spectroscopy at ESR and at PECTRAP, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
  • 05P15RDFA1: Research for the implementation of laser cooling and interaction with matter at FAIR, Technische Universität Darmstadt
  • 05P15RDFAA: Laser spectroscopy at Cryring and HITRAP — new techniques for laser spectroscopy at GSI, Technische Universität Darmstadt
  • 05P15RFFA1: Development of diagnostics and simulations for plasma physics experiments at FAIR, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
  • 05P15RFFAA: Detectors for charge-changed ions at CRYRING/LSR: Detector manipulators and UHV-compatible Si-detectors, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
  • 05P15RGFAA: Construction and tests of experimental installations for electron-collision spectroscopy and for x-ray spectroscopy, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen

    Experimental equipment for electron-ion collision spectroscopy and x-ray spectroscopy at the heavy ion storage rings ESR, CRYRING, and HESR at FAIR will be set up. Electron-ion collisions are an established tool for precision spectroscopy with an extremely broad range of applications. The combination of CRYRING with intense ion beams from the FAIR injector SIS and from the storage ring ESR offers world-unique experimental possibilities. Within the present project the intrumental preconditions for precision studies at the CRYRING cooler will be established. In addition, a transverse electron-target will be made available for electron-ion collision experiments at the storage rings of FAIR. A novel detector concept, i.e., silicon micro-calorimeters, will be used for precision x-ray spectrocopy. This technology holds the promise of offering a spectral resolving power which is an order of magnitude better than that of conventional semi-conductor detectors. A new detector array consisting of 96 pixels will be developed along with the pertaining data acquisition system and software.


  • 05P15RKFAA: High-resolution Seya-Namioka-fluorescence spectrometer for the spectral band 35–700 nm for experiments at heavy-ion storage rings, Universität Kassel
  • 05P15SJFA1: Spektroscopy of plasmas at FAIR, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena

    Prof. Dr. Christian Spielmann and Prof. Dr. Malte Kaluza, Institute of Optics and Quantum Electronics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena

    After the end of the funding period, the major international research facility FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) will start operating. The activities of the APPA research collaboration are one of the scientific pillars of the FAIR program and will mainly concentrate on the preparation of equipment for the experimental stations in the coming years. This project aims to develop and build the experimental equipment for the first plasma for physics experiments in the APPA cave. To be more precisely, measurement infrastructure in the field of laser and X-ray spectroscopy will be prepared. The proposed work matches the experiments described in the FAIR in Technical Design Report (TDR) "Diagnostic instrumentation for plasma physics experiments at the APPA cave". On the one hand it includes the construction of an intense laser source for applications in spectroscopy (pump-probe measurements), on the other hand the development of spectrometers in the VUV and X-ray range for use in the APPA-Cave, taking into account the specific conditions and challenges in experiments with intense relativistic ion beams. At the end of the funding period, we will have completed the first setups to conduct spectroscopy of heavy ion heated targets in the APPA-cave. The project is divided into two work packages (WP):

    • Work package 1 (Spielmann) Development of x-ray and XUV spectrometer for „day one“ plasma physics experiments at FAIR: The major goal is the design, development, realization and setup of spectroscopic devices as a diagnostic for the plasma generated in the APPA cave. The proposed work includes setting a grating spectrometer for the XUV and a crystal monochromator for the soft x-ray range to cover with both devices the spectral range from 1 to 100nm.

    • Work package 2 (Kaluza): High-performance front-end for Nd:glass based high energy laser system: for the diagnostic laser system to be installed at FAIR, we will develop the front-end, which will after careful characterization transferred to the APPA cave. The targeted parameters are 10 Hz repetition rate, 20mJ pulse energy, and a pulse duration in the range up to 10ns. The performance of the front-end will be crucial for the realization of the envisaged pump-probe measurements scheduled at FAIR.


  • 05P15SJFAA: Light-matter interaction with highly charged ions, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena

    Within the APPA-R&D research collaboration, the infrastructure and instrumentation for experiments on the light-matter interaction at the FAIR storage rings ESR/CRYRING/HESR and the trap HITRAP will be set and optimized, respectively. The experimental activities will be accompanied by theoretical studies. The experimental investigations comprise: a) the development of efficient x-ray optic for the energy range above 20 keV, which will be used for the x-ray spectroscopy of highly charged ions with calorimetric detectors. b) The optimization of the energy resolution of pixelated 2D/3D x-ray detectors for precision Compton-polarimetry. These detectors will mainly be used on the internal targets of the storage rings for the investigation of relativistic photon-matter interaction. c) The development and setup of a high power XUV-laser source for the spectroscopy of highly charged ions. On the theory side, predictions for the experimental detection of the pair creation via tunnel processes in the strong fields of highly charged ions and lasers will be made. Optimized detection schemes will be proposed.


  • 05P15VHFAA: Microcalorimeter-arrays and quantum-gas-target for experiments at GSI/FAIR, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

    In the framework of the APPA research collaboration for the first time the unique combination of properties of magnetic micro-calorimeters for high resolution x-ray spectroscopy of highly charged ions at storage rings will be fully realized and thus will enable a new quality of precision experiments for example for testing quantum electrodynamics in high fields. Based on the successful microcalorimeter concept maXs, having world leading energy resolution, excellent linearity and fast intrinsic signal rise time, two novel detector arrays with 64 X-ray absorbers each will be produced. The geometry of the detector arrays and the cryogenic setup will be optimally designed for operating at the 0° port of the electron cooler of CRYRING. Under this angle the Doppler broadening and the angle related uncertainties in the Doppler shifts are both minimal. In addition, high precision methods to manipulate atoms near absolute zero will be exploit to realize a novel quantum gas target for accelerator facilities. It is planned to setup an advanced UHV chamber including an optical dipole trap and to condition it for use at GSI. Within the quantum gas target a precise atomic state preparation will be possible including the realization of a Bose-Einstein condensate. As preparation for the first experiments at FAIR we will also investigate the interaction of singly charged ions with such a target. These experiments will enable us to develop the necessary ion optics in order to transfer the ions into the experimental chamber in a controlled way and to optimized the overlap with the target.


  • 05P15WOFA1: Optical beam diagnosis for intense ion beams, Technische Universität München

    The goal of the project is to develop a fully optical beam diagnostic for intense ion beams at GSI/FAIR which cannot be diagnosed by other methods. The concept is to observe the beam induced scintillation light of a gas target with cameras. Optical filters have to be used to observe the scintillation only at wavelengths which represent the spatial distribution of the primary projectiles and not the halo of the beam which is e.g. induced by secondary electrons. Extensive spectroscopic studies will be necessary to identify the appropriate optical transitions for various conditions (type of projectile, target density etc.). The study will be performed at GSI/FAIR as much as possible. Basic studies will be performed at the Munich Tandem van de Graaff accelerator partly with existing equipment. Electron beam excitation will also be used to study the emission spectra without the necessity to apply for a beam-time and to obtain reference spectra representing the excitation by the secondary electrons.


  • 05P16ODFA1: Cooling of beams of highly-charged ions at highly relativistic energies with pulsed-laser systems, Technische Universität Dresden