The Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds (GANIL) is a joint research facility belonging to the CNRS and the CEA, located in Caen. It is currently one of five major laboratories in the world capable of synthesising and studying the properties of these new nuclei.

Since its creation in 1976, GANIL has been operating a cascade of cyclotron accelerators for ions with masses ranging from carbon to uranium within INB113.

Officially launched by the Minister for Higher Education and Research at the end of May 2005, the SPIRAL2 project marks a new stage in the development of the production facility. It also enables GANIL to develop its capabilities in industrial applications (radiation resistance of components) and to invest in the field of health by, for example, implementing alternative and innovative methods of producing radioelements for medical use.

The SPIRAL2 facility will ultimately consist of several complementary units built and brought into operation gradually between 2006 and 2019. Today, the DESIR (Disintegration, Excitation and Storage of Radioactive Ions) project marks a new stage in the development of this project, which will enable the production of radioactive nuclei using the ISOL method.

The programme includes the construction of the DESIR facility, comprising:

• An experiment hall housing the 1,300 m² beam process
• Junction channels connecting the latter to existing or future radioactive ion beam production sites
• A number of specific independent infrastructures

DESIR is an extension of INB 113 (Basic Nuclear Installation No. 113) and therefore complies with its safety and security rules.