The Inverse Kinematics Thick Target scattering method as a tool to study cluster states in exotic nuclei

The inverse kinematics thick target scattering method (TTIK) was used to measure the ⁸Li resonant elastic scattering on a ⁴He target in order to investigate ⁸Li-α cluster configurations in excited states of ¹²B. A ⁸Li beam at E_beam = 30.6 MeV, provided by the radioactive beam facility EXCYT of LNS in Catania, while passing through a thick Helium target decreases continuously its energy. Thus, elastic scattering can be induced starting from the initial beam energy down to zero. Time of flight measurement between beam particles passing through a MCP detector and α-particles impinging on the ΔE stage of a Si telescope detector allows the discrimination of elastic scattering from nuclear reaction events, thus representing an improvement of the TTIK method. In this paper the used experimental technique and preliminary results will be described.