Application of non-destructive analysis methods in TENMAK-PAF

Development of non-destructive analysis systems at the R&D beamline of the Proton Accelerator Facility of the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Minerals Research Agency (TENMAK-PAF) is described in this work. The proton beam from the cyclotron with energy between 15-30 MeV and current between 0.1 μA-1.2 mA is modified with several components and subsystems to be suitable for the application of non-destructive analysis methods. Certified reference materials (CRM) and samples with different properties were irradiated under vacuum in the irradiation chamber with the new system. Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Particle Induced Gamma ray Emission (PIGE) spectra of these samples were obtained with appropriate radiation detectors and measurement systems. The results of PIXE analyses and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry were compared. PIXE and PIGE results are in good agreement with the certified values for the CRMs. This work constitutes the first reported application of non-destructive ion beam analysis methods in TENMAK-PAF and in Türkiye.