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.