Development and Optimisation of the Muon Target at the ISIS-RAL Muon Facility

The pulsed muon channel of the ISIS facility at RAL has
been successfully commissioned and operated for many
years as a tool for ìSR studies in condensed matter research.
At the present time, the graphite target, of dimensions
50*50*7 mm oriented at 45 degrees to a proton beam
of 800 MeV energy, gives 16000 surface muons per double
proton pulse passing through the entrance aperture of
the aluminium window which separates the muon beamlines
from the main proton beam. Potential improvements
to the target geometry, and optimisation of the design and
estimated performance of the muon target are presented in
this paper