Multipurpose External Ion Microprobe for Irradiation and Analysis
Principal investigator
This project proposes a significant upgrade to the RBI's external ion microprobe, centered on a installation of specialized vacuum chamber. This upgrade will implement ion beam fluence monitoring for both in-vacuum and in-air experiments, enabling precise dose control and IBA quantification, especially for samples unsuitable for vacuum (e.g., biological samples and cultural heritage artifacts). A key project component is investigating the charge collection efficiency (CCE) of wide bandgap semiconductor radiation detectors for which price dose monitoring is mandatory. Using a cryogenic setup (300 K to 40 K), CCE will be measured with various ions (H to C) before and after irradiation at different doses and temperatures, providing benchmark data for evaluating post-irradiation detector performance. Furthermore, the availability of higher energy protons (up to 10 MeV) and heavy ions, combined with precise dose monitoring, will enable further characterization of luminescent detectors (RPL) for hadron therapy. Dosimetric investigations will be conducted with the RBI's Radiation Chemistry and Dosimetry Laboratory, who will provide dosimeters and measure post-irradiation RPL signals, study crucial for reliable dosimeter use. Interdisciplinary collaboration with the Laboratory for Personalized Medicine (LPM) at RBI will demonstrate the system's capabilities for investigating the radiobiological effects of ion beams on cancer cells by irradiation with protons and later, heavier ions followed by assessment of radiobiological effects. The chamber will also house a large solid angle PIXE detector, facilitating sub-micrometer analysis with different IBA methods. Interdisciplinary research will involve collaborating with the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, the Institute of Archaeology, and/or the Croatian Conservation Institute. They will provide samples, focusing on high-resolution in-vacuum PIXE imaging of smaller samples and analysis of larger, non-vacuum-compatible objects.