The ISOLDE Silicon Ball

The development of new spectroscopy devices with the capability of detecting charged particles and precisely determining their energy, angular distribution and nature has become one of the requirements for the investigation of weakly bound nuclei close to the particle driplines. With this aim the ISOLDE Silicon Ball is under construction. It is a charged particle spectroscopy device allowing for the investigation of the exotic nuclei produced at ISOLDE and at other similar facilities. Very high geometrical efficiency and broad energy range coverage are required. In order to allow for particle identification the simultaneous use of the Time of Flight and Pulse Shape Discrimination techniques is foreseen. Recoil tagging capabilities, suitable for transfer reactions to be performed at REX-ISOLDE, should be provided as well. The design and realization of the first prototype is reported.