Beam and Vacuum Studies of the PANDA Cluster-Jet Target

The internal cluster-jet target build up at the University of Muenster will be the phase one target for the upcoming PANDA experiment at the antiproton storage ring HESR at FAIR. This cluster-jet target in close to final PANDA geometry is by now successfully set into operation, including the final vacuum and beam monitor systems and the final beam dump of the PANDA experiment. Thicknesses of more than 2 x 10¹⁵ atoms/cm² in distances of 2.25 m away from the cluster-jet generator demonstrate the benefits of Muenster cluster-jet targets for high luminosity 4π experiments which require a constant thickness in time. The current results of the PANDA target thickness and vacuum studies in Muenster are presented. This includes the results of different beam monitor systems, i.e. destructive and non-destructive systems, realized at different vacuum chambers along the jet beam path into the beam dump of the PANDA target. Furthermore, the vacuum conditions at different stages of the jet beam line and the gas back flow rates of the PANDA beam dump are discussed. Additionally, a preview of the planed 2018 beam time with the PANDA cluster-jet target at the COSY accelerator in Juelich is given.