Linac Experiment Design Tips
- The beam is a about 1 cm in diameter when it exits the beamline but grows to approximately 18 cm FWHM 1 m from the end of the beamline. The dose rate is dependent on the position of the sample in the beam.
- A tungsten converter can be used to create a very high x-ray dose rate in the linac vault.
- The linac vault has a port to allow for pulse radiolysis, but we do not currently have the analysis equipment for this.
- Irradiation of explosives, vertebrates, or food for human consumption is not allowed.
- Irradiations of hazardous materials, materials that will evolve toxic gases, and biological samples will be subject to additional safety reviews.
- Utilizing low density materials in experiment fixtures will minimize radiation shadowing.
- Experiment fixtures should minimize the use of PVC or PTFE to prevent to the generation of hazardous gases.
- For certain materials it may be necessary to take steps to ground the sample to prevent excessive charging.
- 120 VAC power is available for experiments in the vault.
- Cables or tubing can be run to instruments in the vault but must be able to be bent in a tight (approximately 1”) radius.
- Cabling should be at least approximately 50’ long to reach into the vault.
- A 40-channel BNC patch panel is available for bringing signals out of the vault.
- A variety of fixtures are available to help support experiments.
- Samples will not be made radioactive by irradiation with electrons of these energies and can be returned to the experimenter.