AIFIRA

Introduction

AIFIRA (Applications Interdisciplinaires des Faisceaux d’Ions en Région Aquitaine), supported by CNRS-IN2P3 and the Bordeaux University, is composed of a 3.5 MV Singletron accelerator associated with five beamlines. Those beamlines and it associated detection setup enable the exploration of a wide range of themes at the intersection of multiple disciplines. Consequently the activity is multidisciplinary thanks to the various scientific themes developed on a daily basis.(https://www.lp2ib.in2p3.fr/aifira/)

Available analyses and possible applications

Three beamlines are equipped to combine the different analyses available with ion beams:

# IBIC (Ion Beam Induced Charge Collection): controlled irradiation in energy, flux and fluence for the characterization of detectors and setup.
# ERDA: quantitative analysis, imaging and depth profile of hydrogen at millimetric and micrometric scale.
# RBS: quantitative analysis, imaging and depth profile of elements at millimetric and micrometric scale.
# NRA & PIGE: quantification, imaging and depth profile of light elements and their isotopes through nuclear reactions at millimetric and micrometric scale.
# PIXE: quantification and imaging of all elements with Z > 11.
# STIM (Scanning Ion Transmission Microscopy): imaging in density contrast of thin samples.

The technical offer allows:

# the identification and quantification of major and trace elements in thin films and thick materials, biological matter, archaeomaterials…
# the identification and quantification of isotopes for light elements (from H to F),
# the imaging and the depth profile at the micrometer scale,
# the light ion irradiation with precisely controlled doses and spot size,
# the irradiation with secondary fields of monoenergetic neutrons and gamma rays,
# the characterization and calibration of detectors and setup used for fundamental physic applications.

Technical description

Accelerator

• Singletron (HVEE)
• ¹H⁺, ²H⁺, ⁴He⁺
• From 500 keV to 3.5 MeV
• Maximal available current : 100 µA

External beam

• Handle samples that cannot be put into vacuum chamber
• PIXE, PIGE, and RBS
• Beam size 500 µm
• Beam current from 100 pA to 1 nA
• Extraction window: 12 µm Kapton or 300 nm Si₃N₄
• Motorized samples within 3 axes (x = 540 mm, y = 186 mm, z = 525 mm; Precision: 1 mm) for automated sample positioning and mechanical scans

Macrobeam

• Handle samples with maximal size of 25 x 25 x 3 mm³
• ERDA, RBS, NRA, PIXE, PIGE
• Beam size from 500 µm to 5 mm
• Beam current from 100 pA to 100 nA

Microbeam

• Handle samples with maximal size of 10 x 10 x 5 mm³
• ERDA, PIXE, RBS, NRA, ERDA, SED, STIM, IBIC
• Beam size from 500 nm to 300 µm
• Beam current from 10 ion/s to 100 nA
• Electrostatic beam fast rastering from 10 µm² to 1 mm²
• Motorized samples within 4 axes (x = 100 mm ; y = 50 mm ; z = 5 mm ; θ = 360 ; precision 1 µm/0,05°) for automated sample positioning
• Sample visualisation with dedicated optics in reflection and transmission mode

Physic beam

• Handle all setup and detectors for irradiation with light ions, gamma, and monoenergetic neutrons, and IBIC
• Beam size 3 x 3 mm²
• Beam current from 1 nA to 100 µA
• Monoenergetic neutrons and gamma are produced by specific target

Contact

LP2i Bordeaux
Site du Haut Vigneau | 19 chemin du Solarium
33170 GRADIGNAN

• Mail : contact-aifira@lp2ib.in2p3.fr
• Facility scientific leader : S. Sorieul
• Facility operation manager : J. Jouve