Superconducting Resonators Development for the FRIB and ReA Linacs at MSU: Recent Achievements and Future Goals

The superconducting driver and post-accelerator linacs of the FRIB project, the large scale radioactive beam facility under construction at MSU, require the construction of about 400 low-{beta} Quarter-wave (QWR) and Half-wave resonators (HWR) with four different optimum velocities. 1st and 2nd generation prototypes of {beta}{sub 0} = 0.041 and 0.085 QWRs and {beta}{sub 0} = 0.53 HWRs have been built and tested, and have more than fulfilled the FRIB and ReA design goals. The present cavity surface preparation at MSU allowed production of low-{beta} cavities nearly free from field emission. The first two cryostats of {beta}{sub 0} = 0.041 QWRs are now in operation in the ReA3 linac. A 3rd generation design of the FRIB resonators allowed to further improve the cavity parameters, reducing the peak magnetic field in operation and increasing the possible operation gradient, with consequent reduction of the number of required resonators. The construction of the cavities for FRIB, which includes three phases for each cavity type (development, pre-production and production runs) has started. Cavity design, construction, treatment and performance will be described and discussed

A Photoacoustic Study of Zn1−x\text{}_{1-x}Mgx\text{}_{x}Se Mixed Crystals

The photoacoustic spectroscopy with a piezoelectric transducer was employed to evaluate the band gaps of a series of Zn$\text{}_{1-x}$Mg$\text{}_{x}$Se mixed crystals of different composition. The photoacoustic measurements performed at room temperature yield information about the quality of the samples. The photoacoustic spectra were measured using the continuous wave and nanosecond pulse excitation

RIA Superconducting Drift Tube Linac R & D

Cavity and cryomodule development work for a superconducting ion linac has been underway for several years at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The original application of the work was the proposed Rare Isotope Accelerator. At present, the work is being continued for use with the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). The baseline linac for FRIB requires 4 types of superconducting cavities to cover the velocity range needed to accelerate an ion beam to #21; 200 MeV/u: 2 types of quarter-wave resonator (QWR) and 2 types of half-wave resonator (HWR). Superconducting solenoids are used for focussing. Active and passive shielding is required to ensure that the solenoids’ field does not degrade the cavity performance. First prototypes of both QWR types and one HWR type have been fabricated and tested. A prototype solenoid has been procured and tested. A test cryomodule has been fabricated and tested. The test cryomodule contains one QWR, one HWR, one solenoid, and one super-ferric quadrupole. This report covers the design, fabrication, and testing of this cryomodul

Single Cell Kinetics of Intracellular, Nonviral, Nucleic Acid Delivery Vehicle Acidification and Trafficking

Mechanistic understanding of the intracellular trafficking of nonviral nucleic acid delivery vehicles remains elusive. A live, single cell-based assay is described here that is used to investigate and quantitate the spatiotemporal, intracellular pH microenvironment of polymeric-based nucleic acid delivery vehicles. Polycations such as polyethylenimine (PEI), poly-L-lysine (PLL), β-cyclodextrin-containing polymers lacking or possessing imidazole termini (CDP or CDP-imid), and cyclodextrin-grafted PEI (CD-PEI) are used to deliver an oligonucleotide containing a single fluorophore with two emission lines that can be employed to measure the pH. Delivery vehicles were also sterically stabilized by addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and investigated. The intracellular trafficking data obtained via this new methodology show that vectors such as PEI and CDP-imid can buffer the endocytic vesicles while PLL and CDP do not. Additionally, the PEGylated vectors reveal the same buffering capacity as their unstabilized variants. Here, the live cell, spatiotemporal mapping of these behaviors is demonstrated and, when combined with cell uptake and luciferase expression data, shows that there is not a correlation between buffering capacity and gene expression

Erythrocyte membrane-camouflaged polymeric nanoparticles as a biomimetic delivery platform

Efforts to extend nanoparticle residence time in vivo have inspired many strategies in particle surface modifications to bypass macrophage uptake and systemic clearance. Here we report a top-down biomimetic approach in particle functionalization by coating biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles with natural erythrocyte membranes, including both membrane lipids and associated membrane proteins for long-circulating cargo delivery. The structure, size and surface zeta potential, and protein contents of the erythrocyte membrane-coated nanoparticles were verified using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and gel electrophoresis, respectively. Mice injections with fluorophore-loaded nanoparticles revealed superior circulation half-life by the erythrocyte-mimicking nanoparticles as compared to control particles coated with the state-of-the-art synthetic stealth materials. Biodistribution study revealed significant particle retention in the blood 72 h following the particle injection. The translocation of natural cellular membranes, their associated proteins, and the corresponding functionalities to the surface of synthetic particles represents a unique approach in nanoparticle functionalization