The objective of the project is to upgrade the existing facility to a two-dimensional
mapping PIXE submilliprobe. Trace element analysis by macro-PIXE is presently a standard
analytical technique in the laboratory. Various samples are analyzed: fine aerosol particles
on a filter, thick or thin layers of materials, paste-like or liquid samples. Generally,
the minimum amount of analyzed material required by PIXE is very small, even a few micrograms.
However, the analyzed surface of the sample is presently several mm in diameter. The objective
is a major improvement - upgrade to a submillimeter probe. That requires: i) a precise target
positioning and beam spot localization with accuracy better than a tenth of a millimeter,
ii) improvement of monitoring of the beam stability and transport along the vacuum line,
iii) proton charge measurement system in the given experimental geometry. There is a variety of
suitable applications for the proposed submillimeter probe including: monitoring of structural
changes of tissues in medical sciences, analysis of minerals in geology, or studies of
archaeological samples and artifacts. As an initial application, analysis of selected types
of samples will be carry out. Knowledge of elemental maps in the vicinity of weld helps our
understanding of diffussion processes or another effects occurring during the welding process.
As a quality check, a comparison between the PIXE analysis in the applicant’s laboratory
and ICP-MS analysis in an external laboratory will be carried out on minerals, bones and other
samples.
Research team:
CTU Prague, Ion beam group:
Josef Voltr
, Jaroslav Kral
, Zdenek Nejedly
, Radan Salomonovic
Czech Welding Institute, Ostrava: Stanislav Simcik
Faculty of Science Charles University, Prague: Martin Mihaljevic