Presentation for End Semester Evaluation

Topic :-
The Pelletron Accelerator: A Tool for High-Precision
Science

Submitted By- Pratyush Dash

Adm. No. - 24DR0127
Physics Department
IIT ISM Dhanbad
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 CONTENTS

 Introduction

 Comparison with Van de Graff

 Basic Principle

 The Accelerator : What’s inside the tank.

 Working of the accelerator

 Applications and Recent Advancements

 Pelletrons and India

 References

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 1.1. Introduction
An accelerator is a device that utilizes electromagnetic fields to accelerate charged particles, like
electrons, protons, or ions, to high velocities and directs them into focused beams.

Accelerators

Electrostatic
Linear Accelerators Circular
Accelerators
Accelerators

Cyclotron Synchrotron Van de Pelletron

Graff Accelerator
Generator
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 1.2. PELLETRON ACCELERATOR: INTRODUCTION

 Electrostatic accelerator, similar in

concept to a Van de Graaff generator.
 Uses a moving chain of metallic pellets (or
beads) to generate high voltage.
 The chain continuously delivers
electric charge, enabling steady and
controlled particle acceleration.

 Widely used for Nuclear physics

experiments, Materials science research , Ion
implantation in semiconductor
manufacturing.
 Typically operates in the range of a few
million volts up to hundreds of millions
of volts.
 Ideal for precision applications requiring high
energy and stable ion beams. 4
 2. Basic Principle

+ + +
+ + + + +
++ + +
++ + + +
+ +
+ +
+ + +

Principle: When a charged conductor is brought internally in contact with an external

hollow metallic conductor, then all the charges can be transferred to the outside
surface of metallic conductor. 5
 3. COMPARISON WITH VAN DE GRAFF

Rubber Conveyer Belt

Pellet Chain

 Compared to the Van de Graff generator, the pellet chain can operate at a higher
velocity than a rubber belt.
 Both the voltage and currents that can be attained are far higher.
 The chain is charged more uniformly than the belt of a Van de Graff.
 The stability of the terminal voltage and the particle energy is also higher. 6
4. THE ACCELERATOR : WHAT’S INSIDE THE TANKS

Low Energy Column

High Energy ColumnTerminal

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 4.1. Basic Components
•Accelerator Column: Multiple electrode stages at high voltages
that create the electric field to accelerate ions.
•Pellet Chain Charging System: A chain of metallic pellets and
Accelerator Column
insulating links that transfers charge to the high-voltage terminal.
•High-Voltage Terminal: Stores accumulated charge at the
center of the column, creating the potential difference for
acceleration.
•Resistive Voltage Grading Network: Resistors ensure a
uniform voltage gradient across the column.
•Beam Transport System: Ion sources, focusing lenses, and
Pellet Chain
magnets guide and focus the ion beam.
•Insulating Gas (SF₆): Fills the vessel, providing insulation to
prevent electrical breakdown and stabilize components.
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Reduces beam spread and
maintains beam stability

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Ion Sources
Negatively charged beams for use in the accelerators
are produced by ion sources outside the accelerator.

SNICS(II) Schematic Diagram

SNICS is an acronym for

– Source of
– Negative
– Ions by
– Cesium
– Sputtering
Helium Ion Source (HIS)
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 5. Working of the Accelerator

5.1. Generating Electric Charge

1. Negative inductor electrode (connected-to external power

supply) induces positive charge in pellets departing drive
pulley for terminal end
2. Pellets transfer positive charge to terminal via charging
column ("up-charging")
3. Positive inductor electrode (connected to pickoff pulley)
induces negative charge in pellets departing terminal pulley
for drive end
4. Pellets transfer negative charge from terminal via charging
column ("down-charging")

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 5.2. Input Negative Beam

• Negatively charged beam is produced by an

external ion source and is injected into the accelerator.

• This beam accelerates towards the positive potential

at the terminal, and gains an energy given by |qV| = (1)
x Terminal Voltage

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 5.3. THE STRIPPER FOIL

 A thin carbon foil is placed in the beam tube at the

center of the terminal. As the incoming negatively
charged beam accelerates to the terminal electrode, it
is forced to pass through a thin carbon foil placed in
the path of the beam at the center of the terminal
region. Electrons are stripped from the ions in the
beam, producing a distribution of positively charged
“beams” in various charge states.

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 5.4. Positive Beam

• These positively charged beams accelerate away from the positive terminal,
gaining an additional energy given by 𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡x V

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5.5. PICTURES OF THE BEAM

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 6. Applications and Recent Advancements
 Materials Analysis & Surface Modification
Applications: Used in ion beam analysis (RBS, PIXE) for detailed composition studies of materials like
semiconductors.
Advancements: Enhanced precision and beam stability allow higher-resolution analysis.

 Nuclear Physics Research

Applications: Studies nuclear structures and reactions using high-energy particles.
Advancements: Improved beam alignment and higher voltage for precise, reproducible experiments.

 Radioisotope Production for Medicine

Applications: Produces medical isotopes (e.g., C-11 for PET scans).
Advancements: Compact designs for hospitals, efficient isotope production with better cooling systems.

 Environmental Science & Geochronology

Applications: Used in carbon-14 dating and climate studies.
Advancements: Enhanced AMS techniques improve accuracy, enabling smaller sample sizes.

 Medical & Biological Research

Applications: Research in ion beam therapy for cancer treatment.
Advancements: High-precision targeting improves therapy effectiveness.
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 7. PELLETRON AND INDIA

•Taa Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai

•Voltage: Up to 14 MV (million volts)

•Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi

•Voltage: 15 MV Pelletron tandem accelerator

•Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai

•Voltage: 6 MV Pelletron accelerator

•Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata

•Voltage: 3 MV Pelletron accelerator

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 REFERENCES

• Overview of the Pelletron accelerator facilities and their applications in nuclear physics and materials science.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjp/i2022-12138-5
•IUAC’s 15 MV Pelletron and advancements in nuclear research and accelerator mass
spectrometry. https://www.iuac.res.in/pelletron-accelerator
•Detailed historical and technical development of Pelletron
accelerators.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7336741/references#references
•Articles on design and applications of Pelletrons in mass spectrometry and other research fields. New Developments in
Pelletron Design
• Facility for University-based Reactor and Nuclear Astrophysics Capture Experiments (FURNACE)
https://nucleardata.berkeley.edu/research/furnace.html
•Evolution of particle through 3 MV pelletron Accelerator https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Pelletron-accelerator-
beam- lines-and-experimental-chambers-at-the-Lund-Ion-Beam-Analysis_fig1_355875506
•NEC accelerator systems https://www.pelletron.com/products/pelletron-tutorial/
•Classification of Ion Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki-ion-sources
•Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated
Equipment
•CONSTRUCTION OF THE 6 MV TANDEM ACCELERATOR SYSTEM FOR VARIOUS ION BEAM APPLICATIONS
https://accelconf.web.cern.ch/HIAT2015/papers/thm2c02.pdf
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THANK
YOU !
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