Implementation of a time of flight detection sysytem for elastically recoiled ions at the Ithemba laboratory for accelerator based science (Ithemba labs).

Abstract

The characterization of materials is an important feature in the development of technologically important materials. The aim of this study was to contribute to the implementation of Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD), using a time of flight versus energy (TOF-E) detection system, as a tool to be used in the analysis of elastically recoiled ions from thin films. Energetic heavy ions from the Second Single Pole injector Cyclotron (SPC2) at iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences are used as the bombarding particles. The focus of this study was to construct the time of flight detector and to demonstrate that useful signals can be detected. The TOF-E detector is described and the time of flight for the alpha particles of energy 5 .4 Me V was successfully measured to be 30 ns.