L. Pichon , Q. Lemasson , D. Bachiller-Perea , C. Pacheco
{"title":"Advances in dynamic and batch processing of PIXE spectra","authors":"L. Pichon , Q. Lemasson , D. Bachiller-Perea , C. Pacheco","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present here the advances on two custom-built software programs for PIXE spectra processing, both of them based on the GUPIX package. The first one, named LivePIXE, is a standalone executable that has been implemented in the New AGLAE data acquisition system to process dynamically PIXE spectra during recording, almost in real-time. It allows to verify if the selected area of the object is relevant for the analysis and it provides a first interpretation of the PIXE results in order to orientate further analysis. The second program presented here is an updated version of the TrauPIXE software, which we had previously developed to process series of recorded PIXE spectra. As different X-ray absorbers can be installed in front of the detectors, each element of interest in the sample can be measured with different detection limits and<!--> <!-->uncertainties. This updated version selects the most precise element concentrations from all the PIXE results. It can also take into account the elemental concentrations obtained simultaneously by PIGE or/and RBS and incorporate them during the PIXE processing and into the final compositional table.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"565 ","pages":"Article 165734"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francisca Aldape , Javier Flores-Maldonado , Javier Flores-Aldape
{"title":"Air quality assessment of a wildfires event affecting Mexico City’s atmosphere using PIXE","authors":"Francisca Aldape , Javier Flores-Maldonado , Javier Flores-Aldape","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An event involving multiple biomass burning wildfires that occurred in southern and central Mexico during May 2019 was investigated using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). The event severely affected the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA), resulting in elevated concentrations of various pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which accumulated in the region over several days. PM<sub>2.5</sub> mass concentration reached a maximum value of 63 µg/m<sup>3</sup>, exceeding the Mexican Air Quality Standard of 45 µg/m<sup>3</sup> in 24 h, in effect in Mexico in 2019. PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples were collected during the wildfires episode and analyzed by PIXE to determine their elemental concentrations. Additionally, a high-volume PM<sub>2.5</sub> sampler operating in parallel provided samples to determine organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC). Time series of PM<sub>2.5</sub>, OC, and EC, as well as those elements considered respectively good markers of biomass burning (K) and fossil fuel combustion (S and V) were generated. The results revealed trends in accordance with their origin, verifying the presence of particles proceeding from common sources, either from biomass burning or fossil fuel combustion. These results were cross compared with aerosol transport trajectories generated using the HYSPLIT model for computing simple air parcel trajectories, showing to be in agreement. Non-soil (smoke) potassium was estimated using its corresponding enrichment factor before, during, and after the most critical period of the event (May 9–18, 2019), indicating that wildfires were indeed the main contributors to the local atmospheric pollution around the peak of the event. Tracers time series proved to be a very valuable asset to link the pollutants to their sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"565 ","pages":"Article 165733"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Miguel Pena , Xuemei Wang , Weilin Jiang , Rijul Chauhan , Frank A. Garner , Michael Nastasi , Lin Shao
{"title":"Self-ion implantation using a 62Ni isotopic beam obtained with isotopic separation accomplished in a 3 MV NEC tandem accelerator","authors":"Miguel Pena , Xuemei Wang , Weilin Jiang , Rijul Chauhan , Frank A. Garner , Michael Nastasi , Lin Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165738","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165738","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Self-ion irradiation has been widely used to simulate neutron damage. One issue of self-ion irradiations is the accuracy of predicted implant profiles and the associated local displacement damage. Experimental validation of ion penetration depth requires ion implantation of isotopes that are significantly low in natural abundance. Such isotopic beams are often obtained using expensive isotope-pure sputtering cathode materials. A pure Ni-62 beam can be produced from natural nickel, but effective separation requires a 90-degree bending magnet. This study demonstrates that an isotopically pure beam can be obtained using natural cathode materials with traditional small angle bending magnets. The key is to use a beam collector after the acceleration tank for mass scanning, with additional separation resolution gained from the long distance between the low-energy magnet and the beam collector. We demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining distinct peaks of Ni-58, Ni-60, Ni-61, and Ni-62 from a natural Ni cathode. Depth profiles for 2 MeV and 3.5 MeV Ni-62 ions were obtained, and show dramatic differences compared to SRIM predictions, which overestimate the ion range by ∼100% for 2 MeV and ∼30% for 3.5 MeV ions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"565 ","pages":"Article 165738"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143935851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Y. Mori , A. Iwase , Y. Kaneno , T. Matsui , R. Yamada , T. Wada , H. Kato , N. Ishikawa , F. Hori
{"title":"Amorphization process of two-phase Ni30Zr70 alloy by high-energy heavy ion irradiation","authors":"Y. Mori , A. Iwase , Y. Kaneno , T. Matsui , R. Yamada , T. Wada , H. Kato , N. Ishikawa , F. Hori","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two-phase Ni<sub>30</sub>Zr<sub>70</sub> alloy consisting of pure Zr and NiZr<sub>2</sub> phases was irradiated with 100 MeV Au ions at room temperature. Effects of the irradiation on the lattice structure of the alloy were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) measurements. The results showed that the NiZr<sub>2</sub> phase was gradually amorphized, and the Zr phase remained a crystalline even after the irradiation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"565 ","pages":"Article 165732"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143935849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Measurement of α-particle-induced nuclear reaction cross sections on 45Sc","authors":"Emi Sakamoto , Masayuki Aikawa , Shota Nikaido , Saki Goto , Akihiro Nambu , Hiromitsu Haba","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165735","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165735","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><sup>48</sup>V is a medical radionuclide applicable for positron emission tomography (PET). It can be produced through α-particle-induced reactions on <sup>45</sup>Sc. In this study, we measured the cross sections of these reactions using the stacked-foil activation technique and γ-ray spectrometry. The measured cross sections up to 29 MeV are in good agreement with data above 22 MeV obtained in our previous study. We also calculated the physical thick target yields based on the measured cross sections. The results suggest that a projectile energy of approximately 15 MeV is optimal for achieving nearly saturated <sup>48</sup>V production while minimizing the formation of radioactive co-products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"565 ","pages":"Article 165735"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143936163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rijul R. Chauhan, Valerie Tsvetkova, SeungSu Kim, Tania Kumar, Zhihan Hu, Michael Nastasi, Lin Shao
{"title":"Ion irradiation studies on C60 film","authors":"Rijul R. Chauhan, Valerie Tsvetkova, SeungSu Kim, Tania Kumar, Zhihan Hu, Michael Nastasi, Lin Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165737","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165737","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>C<sub>60</sub>, also known as fullerene or buckminsterfullerene, has a variety of applications across different fields due to its unique molecular structure. Notably, C<sub>60</sub> can be utilized in a variety of applications, including photodetectors, sensors, lubricants, and coatings. Owing to its high surface area, C<sub>60</sub> film is particularly well-suited for chemical and biological sensors. For sensor applications, ion beams can be utilized to introduce dangling bonds and vacancies to increase efficiency in trapping molecules. Here, the irradiation response of C<sub>60</sub> films is studied as a function of fluences of of a 100 keV helium ion beam. The C<sub>60</sub> film is deposited on a Mica substrate via thermal evaporation of C<sub>60</sub> powders. The as-deposited film exhibits a periodic topographical pattern formation, which was analyzed using atomic force microscopy. Upon ion irradiation, Raman spectra show an increase in the D/G mode intensity with increased fluences, consistent with previous studies on low-dimensional carbon systems. The D/G mode intensity, however, begins to decrease when damage levels are high enough to reduce the number of six-fold rings, corresponding to amorphization. The threshold amorphization fluence was measured.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"565 ","pages":"Article 165737"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143935850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huili Xu , Miaosen Yu , Hao Chang , Wahyu Setyawan , Xuelin Wang , Ning Gao
{"title":"Formation of a defect group in an FeCrNi alloy under irradiation investigated by molecular dynamics","authors":"Huili Xu , Miaosen Yu , Hao Chang , Wahyu Setyawan , Xuelin Wang , Ning Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Formation of a defect group containing a stacking fault tetrahedron (SFT) surrounded by several small black dots in an FCC FeCrNi alloy after irradiation has been generally observed experimentally. However, the related formation mechanism is not investigated clearly until now. In this work, based on molecular dynamics (MD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image simulations, formation of such a defect group induce by displacement cascades in a perfect FCC-FeCrNi model or an FCC-FeCrNi model containing a pre-existing SFT, has been explored at atomic scale, presenting the same results to experimental reports. In the latter case, evolution of a SFT during its interaction with cascades through the absorption of cascade induced vacancies and formation of surrounding 3D nano-scale interstitial clusters or loops, have been observed. Furthermore, the elastic constants calculations imply the decrease of <em>C<sub>11</sub></em>, <em>C<sub>12</sub></em> and <em>C<sub>44</sub></em> with formation of a defect group while the stress–strain curves indicate the stronger pinning effects of a defect group than a perfect SFT to the gliding of edge dislocations. All these results indicate that formation of defect groups should be taken into the consideration for prediction of structure evolution and mechanical properties of an FCC FeCrNi alloy after irradiation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"564 ","pages":"Article 165731"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143916220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francisca Aldape , Javier Flores-Maldonado , Javier Flores-Aldape , Olivia Rivera-Hernández
{"title":"Atmospheric pollution derived from PM2.5 particles produced in fireworks burning events in Mexico City","authors":"Francisca Aldape , Javier Flores-Maldonado , Javier Flores-Aldape , Olivia Rivera-Hernández","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165699","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165699","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fireworks (FW) burnings have attracted the attention of the scientific community because of the potential risks they pose to the environment and human health. In the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) and in its surroundings, FW burnings are displayed during local celebrations, depositing large amounts of smoke and fine particles into the atmosphere. That is the case of Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, when FW are sequentially displayed in many countries around the world according to their time zones, causing a global effect. In this study, PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples were collected simultaneously from seven strategic sampling sites in the MCMA during Christmas and New Year’s Eve from 2005 to 2010, when FW burning events occurred, and most of the mass concentrations exceeded by a factor of 2–3 times the Mexican Air Quality Standard (NOM) of 65 μg/m<sup>3</sup> in 24 h (value level at the time of sampling). A set of 77 samples were analyzed by Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) to determine their elemental concentrations. Fifteen elements (S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Ba, Pb) were identified in the samples, six of them (Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Cu, Ba) with high concentrations in comparison to samples collected during normal days, when no pyrotechnics were displayed. Ba was found with very high concentrations during these events in comparison with ordinary days, when it barely reached its minimum detection limit. So, it was recognized as the best FW tracer for this study. Several pairs of elements showed good correlations in most of the years under study, which allowed us to infer the presence of some characteristic chemical compounds of the gunpowder used locally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"564 ","pages":"Article 165699"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploration of novel structure for high-power X-ray converter","authors":"Taiyan Chen , Jushigang Yuan , Xihao Chen , Zhiyan Chen , Shuai Hao , Jiang Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165718","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165718","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The conversion of electron beams into X-rays with high penetration capability is an important technique in radiation processing. Previous designs of high-power X-ray converters sacrificed conversion efficiency to achieve high heat dissipation. In this study, a novel high-power converter structure was developed to improve the conversion efficiency of X-rays and reduce energy deposition in the converter. The structure involves vacuum welding of a tantalum plate onto a tooth-shaped copper plate with uniform thickness and forming multiple trapezoidal grooves between the tantalum and copper layers to serve as cooling channels. Geant4 simulation was employed to evaluate the power conversion when the converter was subjected to electron beam bombardment. The optimized converter reduced the loss of X-rays passing through it. Finite element analysis was performed to assess the temperature and deformation of the converter and determine the cooling parameters required to meet operational requirements. Based on the converter structure developed in this study, three potential tantalum–copper connection processes were analyzed, revealing superior performances with vacuum brazing. The novel X-ray converter has now been manufactured and assembled.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"564 ","pages":"Article 165718"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143895415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Reshes , L. Oster , A. Shapiro , B. Herman , S. Biderman , H. Einav , I. Eliyahu , D. Nemirovsky , Y.S. Horowitz
{"title":"Alpha particle thermoluminescence in LiF:Mg,Ti in the framework of conduction band/valence band dynamics","authors":"G. Reshes , L. Oster , A. Shapiro , B. Herman , S. Biderman , H. Einav , I. Eliyahu , D. Nemirovsky , Y.S. Horowitz","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165711","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165711","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Kinetic models of thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves and dose response are based on the assumption that electrons and holes released from trapping centers during heating are thermally elevated to the conduction band (CB) and valence band (VB) where they are completely delocalized. The implication is that during heating the released charge carriers can recombine with the entire population of charges of the opposite sign. In the experiments described herein the CB/VB delocalization of the charge carriers preceding recombination is investigated by alpha particle irradiation of 0.1 mm and 0.9 mm samples of LiF:Mg,Ti (TLD-100). Following irradiation some trapped electrons escape from the alpha particle tracks during readout. Since the Bragg peak occurs at a depth of ∼10<sup>4</sup> Å, the alpha particle track serves as a source of low energy electrons limited to this depth of penetration. The sum of the two glow curves following irradiation on opposite sides of the sample is compared with the single glow curve obtained following irradiation on both sides. In the latter geometry, the electrons escaping the tracks, if delocalized, will be able to recombine with the charge carrier distribution on the opposite side of the sample, thereby altering the intensity and shape of the TL glow curve. The results do not reveal evidence for such behaviour and are in conflict with kinetic models involving CB/VB delocalization preceding recombination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"564 ","pages":"Article 165711"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143890544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}