The Nuclear Physics Institute (NPI) of CAS is a public research institution and a member of the Czech Academy of Sciences. NPI conducts research in a broad field of nuclear physics, experimental as well as theoretical. The properties of nuclear matter under the heavy ion collisions at high and intermediate energies, nuclear reactions important for astrophysics or nuclear energetics etc. are investigated. Selected problems of theoretical subnuclear physics and mathematical physics are studied. Neutron scattering is used mainly in the solid state physics and material research. A large complex of nuclear analytical methods based on charged particles and neutrons beams is used in the interdisciplinary research in collaboration with external specialists in chemistry, ecology, medicine, archaeology etc. The research and development of radiopharmaceuticals, especially short lived positron emitters for the positron emission tomography (PET), is performed in NPI.
The Laboratory of Tandetron (LT) is part of CANAM infrastructure (Center of Accelerators and Nuclear Analytical Methods NPI). The Tandetron 4130 MC accelerator, put into operation in 2005, is used for production of ion beams with energies in the range from 400 keV to 30 MeV of almost all elements of the periodic system for the trace element analysis by means of the nuclear analytical methods. It is the medium-current (MC) version with a terminal voltage varying from 200 kV to 3MV. LT is equipped with small deposition and complementary analytics laboratory including layer deposition techniques (CVD, two-magnetron sputtering system for various metal and bi-metal coating depositions, and laser source for irradiation, ablation and microstructuring of solid phase) and analytical methods (optical ellipsometry, optical analysis in UV Vis-NIR range of wavelengths). New Atomic Mass Spectroscopy laboratory is under the construction within CANAM.
LT’s main areas of competence:
- Ion/laser beam interaction with materials
- Ion/laser beam modification of materials
- Ion beam lithography
- Ion beam implantation and nanostructuring of materials
- Ion beam analytical methods
- Ion beam analysis
- Ion beam implantation
- Accelerator mass spectrometry
Ion Implantation / Irradiation:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Ion species | selected ions (typically H, He, Li, O, C, Si, Cu, F, Ag, Au, W and upon the request except noble gasses, lathanides, radioisotopes |
| Ion energy | 600 keV - 30 MeV depending on ion species |
| Depth range | 100 nm - several µm depends on ion energy |
| Fluence | 107 - 1016 cm-2 |
| Incidence angle | Standard 0°, 7°; others on request |
| Beam current | nA - µA |
| Sample size | Small pieces (cm2) Ø 80 mm |
| Temperature | Liquid nitrogen - 1100°C, RT, heating stage up to 600°C |
| Special features | quandrupole mass spectrometry; external beam irradiation of biological samples, volatile samples etc. |
Ion Beam Analysis:
| Method | Elements | Detection limit [at%] | Resolution depth | Resolution lateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RBS | O - U | 1 | 10 nm | 0.5 mm |
| RBS and PIXE- Channelling | crystalline structure study and dopant positioning | 1 | 10 nm | 0.5 mm |
| ERD with He | H, D, T | 0.1 | 30 nm | 1.5 mm |
| ERDA TOF | H-S | 0.1 | 15 nm | 1.5 mm |
| PIXE | Al-U | ppm | not applicable | 1 mm |
| µ-Probe with RBS, PIXE, PIGE | 1 µm | |||
| PIGE | B, Li, Na, F, P, Al, … | 1-1000 ppm | not applicable | mm |
| STIM | internal structure in thin samples | not applicable | not applicable | 0.3 µm |
| PESA | H in thin samples | 0.1 | not applicable | 1 µm |
The main laboratory accessories are devices for material characterization by standard nuclear analytical techniques (RBS, RBS-channeling, ERDA, ERDA-TOF, PIXE, PIGE, and Ion-Microprobe with less than 1 μm lateral resolution) and for high-energy implantation. Broad portfolio of Ion Beam Analytical methods is used in material research in optics, nanooptics and electronics, bionics, dosimetry, doping of semiconductors, space and nuclear power technologies, wear resistant materials etc. Heavy and light ion microprobe is effectively used for ion beam lithography and 3D elemental mapping using ion microprobe in combination with STIM, PIXE, PIGE and RBS), respectively. Versatile ion implantation instrumentation is used for modification, intentional defect engineering, nanostructuring of materials as well as for ionizing radiation testing in dosimetry and detector development, where also external beam is for disposal. Analytical methods are successfully and effectively used in many applications: ion beam interaction with solids, nanostructuring, nano and micro-structure synthesis and characterization, quantitative and qualitative elemental analysis and high resolution elemental depth profiling, trace element characterization etc.
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