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Title: Small system for tritium accelerator mass spectrometry

Abstract

Apparatus for ionizing and accelerating a sample containing isotopes of hydrogen and detecting the ratios of hydrogen isotopes contained in the sample is disclosed. An ion source generates a substantially linear ion beam including ions of tritium from the sample. A radio-frequency quadrupole accelerator is directly coupled to and axially aligned with the source at an angle of substantially zero degrees. The accelerator accelerates species of the sample having different mass to different energy levels along the same axis as the ion beam. A spectrometer is used to detect the concentration of tritium ions in the sample. In one form of the invention, an energy loss spectrometer is used which includes a foil to block the passage of hydrogen, deuterium and [sup 3]He ions, and a surface barrier or scintillation detector to detect the concentration of tritium ions. In another form of the invention, a combined momentum/energy loss spectrometer is used which includes a magnet to separate the ion beams, with Faraday cups to measure the hydrogen and deuterium and a surface barrier or scintillation detector for the tritium ions.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6037465
Patent Number(s):
5189302
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-783803
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 28 Oct 1991
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; HYDROGEN; ISOTOPE RATIO; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; QUADRUPOLE LINACS; DESIGN; DEUTERIUM; ENERGY LOSSES; HELIUM 3; ION BEAMS; ION SOURCES; MOMENTUM TRANSFER; SCINTILLATION COUNTERS; SPECTROMETERS; TRITIUM; ACCELERATORS; BEAMS; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; ELEMENTS; EVEN-ODD NUCLEI; HELIUM ISOTOPES; HYDROGEN ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; LINEAR ACCELERATORS; LOSSES; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; NONMETALS; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; ODD-ODD NUCLEI; RADIATION DETECTORS; RADIOISOTOPES; SPECTROSCOPY; STABLE ISOTOPES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 430100* - Particle Accelerators- Design, Development, & Operation; 400102 - Chemical & Spectral Procedures

Citation Formats

Roberts, M L, and Davis, J C. Small system for tritium accelerator mass spectrometry. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Roberts, M L, & Davis, J C. Small system for tritium accelerator mass spectrometry. United States.
Roberts, M L, and Davis, J C. Tue . "Small system for tritium accelerator mass spectrometry". United States.
@article{osti_6037465,
title = {Small system for tritium accelerator mass spectrometry},
author = {Roberts, M L and Davis, J C},
abstractNote = {Apparatus for ionizing and accelerating a sample containing isotopes of hydrogen and detecting the ratios of hydrogen isotopes contained in the sample is disclosed. An ion source generates a substantially linear ion beam including ions of tritium from the sample. A radio-frequency quadrupole accelerator is directly coupled to and axially aligned with the source at an angle of substantially zero degrees. The accelerator accelerates species of the sample having different mass to different energy levels along the same axis as the ion beam. A spectrometer is used to detect the concentration of tritium ions in the sample. In one form of the invention, an energy loss spectrometer is used which includes a foil to block the passage of hydrogen, deuterium and [sup 3]He ions, and a surface barrier or scintillation detector to detect the concentration of tritium ions. In another form of the invention, a combined momentum/energy loss spectrometer is used which includes a magnet to separate the ion beams, with Faraday cups to measure the hydrogen and deuterium and a surface barrier or scintillation detector for the tritium ions.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1993},
month = {2}
}

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