Scientific Opportunities at SARAF with a Liquid Lithium Jet Target Neutron Source

SARAF (Soreq Applied Research Accelerator Facility) is based on a 5 mA, 40 MeV, proton/deuteron accelerator. Phase-I, operational since 2010, provides proton and deuteron beams up to 4 and 5 MeV, respectively, for basic and applied research activities. The high power Liquid-Lithium jet Target (LiLiT), with 1.912 MeV proton beam, provides high flux quasi-Maxwellian neutrons at kT similar to 30 keV (about 2 x 10(10) n/s/cm(2)/mA on the irradiated sample, about 1 cm from the target), enabling studies of s-process reactions relevant to nucleo-synthesis of the heavy elements in giant AGB stars. With higher energy proton beams and with deuterons, LiLiT can provide higher fluxes of high energy neutrons up to 20 MeV. The experimental program with SARAF phase-I will be enhanced shortly with a new target room complex which is under construction. Finally, SARAF phase-II, planned to start operation at similar to 2023, will enable full capabilities with proton/ deuteron beams at 5 mA and 40 MeV. Liquid lithium targets will then be used to produce neutron sources with intensities of 10(15) n/s, which after thermalization will provide thermal neutron (25 meV) fluxes of about 10(12) n/s/cm(2) at the entrance to neutron beam lines to diffraction and radiography stations.