Simulations of the high energy beam transport section (HEBT) at FRANZ

The Frankfurt Neutron Source at the Stern-Gerlach-Zentrum (FRANZ) currently under construction will deliver a proton beam of up to 20 mA constant current with energies between 1.8 MeV and 2.2 MeV. This facility aims at exploring proton- and neutron-induced reactions of astrophysical interest. The high proton flux is well suited for studying nuclear reactions related to the nucleosynthesis of the p-nuclei, which might yield hints on the physics of type Ia supernovae. Furthermore, FRANZ will offer the opportunity to measure radiative neutron capture reactions for unstable branch point nuclei of the s-process. We will present the current status of the beam line up to the BaF₂ calorimeter. This contribution focuses on simulations to optimise beam transport and phase space distribution with respect to an optimised beam spot size.