RIKEN and ISIS, STFC’s neutron and muon source, have been collaborating for over 20 years.  The RIKEN-RAL muon facility, based at ISIS, is a large UK-Japan science collaboration for fundamental and applied studies using muons – short-lived sub-atomic particles which have a variety of science uses.

The agreement between the three organisations has seen some of the equipment which RIKEN have used at ISIS being transferred for further use to UKAEA at Culham.  The equipment is no longer required by RIKEN, but, rather than dispose of it, it will now go on to have new life and new applications – fully recycling it!

Philip King, Director of the RIKEN-RAL Muon Facility, said today ‘It is great that RIKEN, UKAEA and ISIS are collaborating on a project which is very beneficial for all three organisations.  We are very glad that the RIKEN equipment is finding a good new home’.

Stuart Knipe, Head of the Tritium and Vacuum unit at UKAEA, added ‘We are very pleased to be partnering with RIKEN. The equipment transferred to us will be used within the new Material Research Facility which we are establishing at Culham – a lovely example of recycling!’

The equipment is a tritium gas-handling system, which RIKEN have been using for muon studies of fusion between deuterium and tritium nuclei at the RIKEN-RAL muon facility.  The RIKEN work has enabled new insights into this area, but with the focus of the facility turning to other muon science, a home was needed for the tritium system. Team Leader of Muon Deta Team at RIKEN Nishina Center Teiichiro Matsuzaki said ‘The tritium system has been at the heart of the RIKEN-RAL muon facility for many years, has produced some excellent science results, and we shall be sad to see it go.  But it is a very nice legacy for it to be reused by UKAEA for new science projects, and we are very pleased that it will continue to be doing research in the future’.