SARAF – Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility

The Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF) will be a multi-user and versatile particle accelerator facility. It is based on a proton/deuteron RF superconducting linear accelerator, with variable energy (5-40 MeV) and a continuous wave (CW) high ion current (0.04-5 mA), and located at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center. The Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility (SARAF) will be a multi-user and versatile particle accelerator facility. It is based on a proton/deuteron RF superconducting linear accelerator, with variable energy (5-40 MeV) and a continuous wave (CW) high ion current (0.04-5 mA), and located at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center. The SARAF high-intensity superconducting linear particle accelerator for light ions belongs to a new generation of particle accelerators. The high ion current generates an unprecedented amount of fast neutrons and radioactive nuclei, that may be used to explore rare nuclear reactions, produce new types of radiopharmaceuticals and more. Moderated neutrons can be used for non-destructive tests with similar resolution and contrast as performed in reactors.Accelerator facilities such as SARAF are designed to produce enough neutrons to perform the functions that are today possible only at research nuclear reactors, such as IRR1 at Soreq. Since accelerators do not use fissile materials, they are expected to be a welcome replacement of research reactors, as they do not pose a proliferation or an environmental concern, and they have much better public acceptance than nuclear reactors.The SARAF Phase-I accelerator was built by ACCEL Instruments (now RI Research Instruments GmbH). The novel acceleration technology proved the feasibility of the construction of the full SARAF Project. Until 2012 (since 2010), SARAF is the first and only superconducting accelerator in the world to demonstrate CW acceleration of mA-range proton beams.