The STELLA Apparatus for Particle-Gamma Coincidence Fusion Measurements with Nanosecond Timing

The STELLA (STELlar LAboratory) experimental station for the measurement of deep sub-barrier light heavy-ion fusion cross sections has been installed at the Androm`{e}de accelerator at the Institut de Physique Nucl{e}aire, Orsay (France). The setup is designed for the direct experimental determination of heavy-ion fusion cross sections as low as tens of picobarn. The detection concept is based on the coincident measurement of emitted gamma rays with the UK FATIMA (FAst TIMing Array) and evaporated charged particles using a silicon detector array. Key developments relevant to reaching the extreme sub-barrier fusion region are a rotating target mechanism to sustain beam intensities above 10$mu$A, an ultra-high vacuum to prevent carbon built-up and gamma charged-particle timing in the order of nanoseconds sufficient to separate proton and alpha particles.