Interaction experiments with intense heavy ions beams using solid state targets

At the synchrotron SIS of GSI (Gesellschaft fur Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany) the energy deposition of intense heavy ion beams in solid targets can be employed to create dense plasmas by isochoric heating and quasi-adiabatic compression. Typical beam parameters are 2·10¹⁰ Ar¹⁸⁺ ions of 300 MeV/u. The stored beam energy of ca. 40 J is deposited in the solid state targets within 250 ns, leading to a specific energy deposition of about 1 kJ/g. Target materials are rare gas crystals, metals especially lead and solid hydrogen or deuterium. Diagnostic tools are high speed and fast shutter, intensified cameras, pressure sensors and spectroscopes. With this experimental setup it was for the first time possible to record the heavy ion beam induced hydrodynamic motion of lead and the emission in the visible range of neon. Though experimental details are different, both in lead and in neon initial pressure values of 0.1-0.3 GPa and temperature of ca. 0.1 eV were measured. Combining the respective properties of lead and hydrogen in compound targets and with the improved beam parameters after the intensity upgrade at SIS we intend to join the experimental activities to produce metallic hydrogen.