Recent Developments at the Osaka RCNP 230-cm Cyclotron and a Proposal for a New Ring Accelerator

The RCNP cyclotron has been operated satisfactorily for many kinds of nuclear research experiments since the middle of 1976. The versatile machine is able to deliver protons up to 75 MeV, deuterons up to 60 MeV, 3He particles up to 140 MeV, alpha particles up to 120 MeV, 12C ions, 14N ions, 16O ions, 20Ne ions, polarized protons and polarized deuterons. Beam quality and reliability of the machine were very good. Unscheduled down time was several percent of the scheduled time in 1977. About 30 research experiments were performed in this period and about 150 changes of particle type or energy were practiced to satisfy the requirements of these experiments. The facility has been open to outside users since January 1977.