THURSDAY, May 22, 2025
18:00 – 19:30
Sightseeing Tour of Prague (walking tour with guides)
19:30
Workshop dinner, Art Restaurant Mánes
Masarykovo nábřeží Str. 250/1
110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
FRIDAY, May 23, 2025
13:00 – 17:00
Excursion to laboratories
– For registered participants only (make the registration via e-mail to kinc@amca.cz)
– Bus transport provided
13:00 Departure
14:00 – 16:00 excursion
17:00 Return to the centre of Prague
Operating with a terminal voltage that spans from 200 kV to 3 MV, this medium-current (MC) accelerator generates ion beams with energies ranging from 400 keV to 30 MeV. These ion beams, encompassing nearly all elements of the periodic table, form the foundation for a wide variety of analytical and material modification techniques.
The laboratory is equipped with an array of advanced instrumentation. Among the highlights are devices designed for ion beam analysis, including Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and RBS-Channeling for probing crystallographic structures, Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA) for hydrogen and light-element analysis, and its innovative counterpart, ERDA-TOF, which offers high-resolution mass spectrometry capabilities. Techniques such as Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Particle-Induced Gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) facilitate non-destructive elemental analysis, while the Ion Microprobe—with a remarkable lateral resolution of less than 1 μm—enables intricate 3D elemental mapping. This synergy of methods allows detailed material characterization and precise elemental quantification, pushing the boundaries of conventional analytical approaches.
The laboratory’s versatile ion implantation setup enables advanced materials research, such as intentional defect engineering, nanostructuring, and high-energy implantation for modifying material properties. This capability plays a crucial role in applications ranging from semiconductors and optics to wear-resistant materials and space technologies. The use of heavy and light ion microprobes further expands the possibilities for ion beam lithography and nanoscale structuring.
The forthcoming Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) Laboratory promises to enhance this suite of capabilities by incorporating a medium-type AMS accelerator with a terminal voltage of up to 1 MV. AMS provides unparalleled sensitivity, detecting isotopes at ultra-trace levels—up to six orders of magnitude lower than conventional decay counting methods. This addition will unlock groundbreaking research opportunities in areas such as radiocarbon dating (14C), climatology, palaeoecology, and actinide behavior in the environment. By enabling precise measurement of cosmogenic radionuclides like 10Be and 26Al, researchers can reconstruct environmental conditions, track erosion and accumulation processes, and even date meteorites with remarkable accuracy.
This intricate network of instrumentation serves as a cornerstone for multidisciplinary research. Together, these technologies represent a beacon of innovation, transforming our understanding of materials and their interactions at the atomic and molecular levels.