All irradiation facilities are located in the building 157 - East Hall at CERN Meyrin. There are currently
3 facilities available which are mainly operated and serviced under supervision of Maurice Glaser.
 
 

IRRAD1 - protons

        The facility uses the primary PS/T7 proton beam 24 GeV/c. The beam profile is approximately a square 2.2 cm high and 2 cm wide and the flux is about 1,5 – 4,5 x 10⁹ p cm^-2 s^-1 depending on the number of spills (1 - 3 spills / PS_supercycle ). The irradiation by using of this facility does not require any access in the radiation zone. Any samples into radiation zone are transported by remotely controlled shuttle system. The present system allows irradiation of smaller samples up to the size of 5 x 5 cm. The samples may be connected to the external biasing, when required ( 7 wires are available ). The irradiation is performed at ambient temperature, which is close to 30 degrees. The use of a cooling system is intended for future irradiation (in 2001).
 
 

IRRAD2 - neutrons

        The facility uses secondary generated particles. The high energy primary PS/T8 proton beam crosses 50cm of graphite, 23cm of iron and 10cm of lead (beam stopper) and produces in the material mixture of hadrons where around 90% of neutrons are expected. The energy spectrum is rather wider and has a peak around 0,5 MeV. Any samples are also transported by remotely controlled shuttle system. The neutron fluence is around 3-10x10¹²ncm^-2h^-1.  The size of samples is limited up to 5 x 5 cm.
 

IRRAD3 – protons

        The facility is foreseen to be used mainly by the Atlas Pixel Group and is located abour 30cm upstream from IRRAD1. The beam profile in this place is roughly rectangular of 2,2 cm high and 2 cm wide and the flux is about 1,5 – 4,5 x 10⁹ p cm^-2 s^-1 depending on the number of spills ( 1 - 3 spills / PS_supercycle ). Irradiation up to the dose of 1 Mrad usually takes around 1-3 hours. The system is build as remotely controlled X-Y stage carrying   independent temperature controlled box. To see some pictures from the area please visit the Picture Gallery (April 2000). The use of this system requires an access in the radiation zone of T7 beam at least for insertion and removal of samples and it is always necessary to stop all beams in the PS East Hall. Such access is always violent imterruption of other users and therefore is usually accepted only once in a week and it is necessary to request it at the meeting of users with PS/SPS coordinator (each Friday). The facility IRRAD3 is convenient for irradiation of electronics or completed silicon modules where on-line testing and monitoring during irradiation is required. All people intending to use this facility has to follow some particular rules.
 

2nd Nov 2000           Petr Sicho
                        irradiation coordinator