Ion Irradiation

The NSUF offers researchers the opportunity to access to a broad range of partner facilities with ion irradiation capabilities.

For a list of the technical point of contact for each facility, please click here



University of Wisconsin 

The University of Wisconsin Tandem Accelerator Ion Beam is a 1.7 MV terminal voltage tandem ion accelerator (Model 5SDH-4, National Electrostatics Corporation Pelletron accelerator) featuring dual ion sources for producing negative ions with a sputtering source or using a radio frequency (RF) plasma source. This accelerator offers controlled temperature proton irradiation capability with energies up to 3.4 MeV. The analysis beamline is capable of elastic recoil detection and nuclear reaction analysis. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are also offered at the University of Wisconsin. User Guide







University of Michigan 

The 1.7 MV Tandetron accelerator in the Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory at the University of Michigan offers controlled temperature proton irradiation capabilities with energies up to 3.4 MeV as well as heavy ion irradiation. Crack growth rate testing in controlled temperature, pressure, and chemistry  are also offered at the University of Michigan. User Guide







Argonne National Laboratory 

The Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscopy (IVEM)-Tandem Facility at Argonne National Laboratory combines ion beam irradiation capability with in-situ characterization using a transmission electron microscope. A total dose of 100 dpa can be achieved in about a day. Capabilities include continuous recording to provide real-time observation of defect formation and evolution during irradiation and well controlled experimental conditions (constant specimen orientation and area, specimen temperature, ion type, ion energy, dose rate, dose and applied strain). A radiological facility, the Irradiated Materials Laboratory (IML), located in the same building as the IVEM-Tandem, can receive, handle, prepare, and store radioactive samples. User Guide






Sandia National Laboratories  

The In-Situ Ion Irradiation Transmission Electron Microscope (I3TEM) Facility at the Sandia Ion Beam Laboratory offers ion irradiation, including in-situ irradiation in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) with specialty specimen stages available, such as heating, cooling, strain, compression, and changes in specimen environment. The I3TEM Facility offers the capabilities of a 200 kV JEOL 2100 high-contrast TEM combined with the implantation/irradiation capabilities of the 10 kV Colutron and the 6 MV Tandem accelerators housed in the Sandia Ion Beam Laboratory. User Guide





Texas A&M University

The Texas A&M Accelerator Laboratory is one of the largest university ion irradiation facilities in the United States. The key facilities in the lab include: a 10 kV ion accelerator (with a gas ion source); a 150 kV Ion Accelerator (with a universal ion source); a 200 kV ion accelerator (with a universal ion source); a 1 MV ionex tandetron accelerator (with a RF plasma source and a SNICS source); a 1.7 MV ionex tandetron accelerator (with a RF plasma source and a SNICS source); a high temperature vacuum furnace; a high temperature gas furnace; a four-point-probe resistivity measurement; and various heating and cooling systems for ion irradiations at different temperatures. User Guide






Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 

LLNL's Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS) hosts a 10-MV FN tandem Van de Graaff accelerator, a NEC 1-MV tandem accelerator and a soon to be commissioned 250KV single stage AMS deck to perform up to 25,000 AMS measurement per year, as well as a a NEC 1.7-MV tandem accelerator for ion beam analysis and microscopy. The research and development made possible by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and ion beam analytical techniques is diverse and includes geochronology (for archaeology, paleoclimatology, paleoseismology, and other disciplines); neotectonics; geomorphology; ground water hydrogeology; carbon-cycle dynamics; oceanic and atmospheric chemistry; bioavailability, and metabolism of chemicals, toxic compounds, and nutrients; forensic reconstruction of Hiroshima and Chernobyl dosimetry; detection of signatures of nuclear fuel reprocessing for nonproliferation purposes; material analysis and modification studies; as well as nuclear physics cross-section measurements and nuclear chemistry studies. Website