CERN n_TOF facility: Performance report

An innovative neutron Time-of-Flight facility (n_TOF) has recently become operative at CERN. The high neutron flux is obtained by the spallation of 20 GeV/c protons onto a solid lead target. The proton beam is delivered by the Proton Synchrotron (PS) at CERN capable of providing up to four sharp bunches (RMS 6 ns) with an intensity of 7x10^12 protons per bunch within a 14.4s supercycle. The present report describes the outstanding characteristics of this facility: high neutron flux of 10^6 n/cm^2/7x10^12 p at 185 m, wide spectral function from 1 eV up to 250 MeV, low repetition rates, an excellent energy resolution of 2x10^-4 in the resonance region and low background conditions. These unique features open new possibilities for high precision neutron induced cross section measurements relevant to Nuclear Technology, Nuclear Astrophysics and fundamental Nuclear Physics.