Speaker
Description
In this contribution, we present an overview of the measurements of the $^{12}$C+$^{12}$C fusion reaction conducted with the mobile measurement station STELLA (STELlar LAboratory). This apparatus is designed for fusion studies involving light heavy ions and has been employed for carbon fusion measurements at Andromède, IJCLab (Orsay) and at the Felsenkeller shallow underground laboratory (Dresden).
STELLA enables high-duty-cycle experiments using intense beams on thin targets over extended periods. It is optimized for reliable and precise measurements of cross-sections below the nanobarn level. The main components include a rotating target mechanism for large, thin, self-supporting foils; high-granularity charged-particle detectors with wide angular coverage; and a triggerless data acquisition system providing nanosecond gamma-particle timing coincidences through an extended array of LaBr₃(Ce) crystals, in collaboration with UK-FATIMA.
The measurement technique and its impact on particle and timing spectra will be presented. We will demonstrate the refinement of cross-section measurements using timing coincidences and the estimation of residual random background. Statistical analyses at the lowest cross sections will be discussed, along with our results interpreted in terms of $S$-factors and reaction rates relevant to astrophysical applications.