Testing Focal Plane Detectors for the SEparator for CApture Reactions (SECAR)

The Separator for Capture Reactions (SECAR) will be installed at NSCL/FRIB to directly measure (p,$\gamma$) and ($\alpha$,$\gamma$) reactions that are important in extreme stellar environments. Time-of-flight detectors like those implemented in SECAR are necessary to distinguish between the heavy products of the desired reactions and the unreacted beam. The time resolution and position sensitivity of a micro-channel plate (MCP) detector for the SECAR focal plane instrumentation were tested. We will present the findings of these tests as well as an alternate high energy design of a stopping detector. The new stopping detector will be characterized in further in-beam studies, and both it and the MCP detectors will be installed at NSCL/FRIB by 2022.