This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
We propose the acquisition of a highly charged ion (HCI) beamline dedicated to the exploration of HCI-materials interactions. The intrinsic high energy density present in an HCI-solid impact, where a reproducible quantum mechanical state of a highly ionized atom transfers energy into a solid at atomic length scales, gives irradiance values (~1014 W/cm2) that rival those achievable with petawatt lasers (~7x1011 W/cm2) and that can be obtained and maintained more easily than a laser. Understanding the physical mechanisms that control how an HCI can deliver this energy to a target is the primary and open question of materials research that will be addressed. With this instrumentation we will be able to create HCIs of a selected charge state and impact them onto well-defined targets where secondary electron, X-ray, and mass loss sensing will be used for real-time analysis and precisely timed clocking (via X-ray deexcitation) of impact events. In doing so, we will probe the complex interplay between fundamental atomic physics (X-ray emissions, Rydberg atom formation, etc.) and energy dissipation that is the defining characteristic of HCI-materials interactions. Results obtained with this beamline will be directly applied to the use of HCIs in electronic device processing as well as the evaluation of candidate materials for fusion reactor walls, the role of HCIs in astrophysically relevant ion-target impact conditions, and the accelerated spaceflight-readiness testing of electronics devices and materials. This instrumentation will be housed on the central campus of Clemson University, will be operated by a trained staff technician, and will be maintained through the committed and combined support of the College of Engineering and Science and the university. The core investigators and management team will utilize this acquisition to enhance our outreach programs to women and minorities through established programs on campus and through our existing connection with South Carolina State University.
Non-Technical Summary:
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
We propose the acquisition of a highly charged ion (HCI) beamline for interdisciplinary materials research and education at Clemson University. Highly charged ions, which are atoms stripped of a large fraction of their electrons, are unique as they possess a high energy density that can lead to novel HCI-solid interactions not typically encountered in a materials laboratory environment. Our goals with this acquisition are to explore the physical mechanisms that control how a HCI can deliver energy to a target and apply that knowledge to the development of HCIs as a processing tool for electronic materials fabrication. In addition, the inherent presence of HCIs in fusion reactors, a candidate technology for clean energy production, as well as in the space environment makes this acquisition a prime tool for reproducing these conditions in a laboratory setting. Operating as a research laboratory and user facility for the study of HCI interactions with materials, this beamline will open new doors to a multitude of researchers and encourage their explorations into this unique form of matter. The incorporation of cryogen-free technologies for the production of HCIs into this proposed acquisition ensures that it will function as a low cost, single-operator beamline that has a low threshold for user and collaborator participation. This instrumentation will be housed on the central campus of Clemson University, will be operated by a trained staff technician, and will be maintained through the committed and combined support of the College of Engineering and Science and the university. The core investigators and management team will utilize this acquisition to enhance our outreach programs to women and minorities through established programs on campus and through our existing connection with South Carolina State University.
Through this award the experimental tools for a new laboratory were acquired that will allow researchers to investigate ion irradiation of materials systems. In particular, an electron beam ion trap (EBIT) ion source was purchased so that beams of highly charged ions, i.e. atoms missing all or most of their electrons, can be produced. These ions possess an enormous potential energy component that, in certain materials systems, can lead to dramatic changes in structure and composition. Acquired with this ion source was a beamline and a target chamber for performing materials irradiations and a thin film deposition system. Images of the EBIT ion source and beamline are shown as well as a spectrum of the first highly charged ions extracted at the new laboratory in 2013. These combined elements form the heart of a user facility managed by Clemson University and open to researchers from all disciplines with an interest in investigating highly charged ion-materials interactions. One unique feature of this laboratory is that it is the only of its kind maintained at an academic institution in the U.S. and that the acquired EBIT is cryogen free, which keeps the operational and user costs at a minimum relative to more traditional liquid helium cooled machines. As support for this new laboratory, Clemson University has provided the physical infrastructure and utilities required for all of the acquired tools (EBIT, beamline, target and growth chambers). Additionally, the university has hired a staff physicist to maintain and operate the facility as well as train users. Two new faculty members have been hired by Clemson University to form a larger collaborative research team on campus. Off-campus user interest has being generated through a new weekly seminar series devoted to EBIT research where both domestic and international visitors have been invited to visit and discuss possible highly charged ion projects.
