A Two-accelerator Facility and Its Use for Radiation Damage Studies in Alkali Halides

Abstract

An experimental system is described in which heavy ions of energies 50-100 MeV, and light ions of energies 0·5-2 MeV, may be transported alternatively from different accelerators into a common scattering chamber. Details are given of the beam transport and ~ttering chamber, the latter being designed to make in-beam studies of different modes of radiation damage in the target material. An on-line experimental control and data acquisition system with an IBM 1800 computer is used. Experimental studies are described of simultaneous detection of backscattered helium ions, X-rays and optical absorption in single-crystal alkali halide samples, performed during continuous irradiation by a 1 MeV helium beam, as well as of backscattered protons following intermittent irradiation by a 60 MeV oxygen beam. Analysis of the relative damage by these two beams is discussed in relation to a damage mechanism due to Pooley.

Radiolysis of Salts and Long-Term Storage Issues for Both Pure and Impure PuO{sub 2} Materials in Plutonium Storage Containers

“…Exarhos (1982) observed the opposite situation for CaF 2 electron irradiated at comparably high doses: the spectral results are similar to NaCl, in which the formation of colloidal particles predominates. Based on the experimental data from α-irradiated NaCl crystals, the chance of F centers recombining with H centers at such high doses is very likely Hay 1980, Newton andHay 1979). When rock salts were exposed to high doses (~10 9 Gy) of γ radiation, the concentration of chlorine measured was only 0.1Êppm (Jockwer and Mšnig 1989).…”

Proton Induced X-ray Emission for Measurement of Bromine in Micro Quantities of Human Blood Plasma

“…The equipment and methods used for PIXE have been described by Newton and Hay (1980). Experience has shown that it is straightforward, but time-consuming, to maintain stability of the proton accelerator, the X-ray detector and associated electronics and to keep them calibrated to within 2%.…”