

Centre for Accelerator Science
Impact
ANSTO has operated accelerators since 1964. The Centre for Accelerator Science is a world-leading centre for ion beam analysis and accelerator mass spectrometry. The Centre is recognised internationally for the excellence of its operations and expertise of its staff. It attracts national and international users from academia, publicly-funded research agencies, industry and government.
Both in-house scientists and external users access a suite of tools for investigations that cross a range of disciplines. The Centre provides key infrastructure for supporting International Atomic Energy Agency activities and provides training across a broad range of disciplines and technologies.
How it works

Applications
The Centre for Accelerator Science provides users with access to a suite of tools in one location that can be used for isotopic dating, air pollution studies, climate science, the modification and characterisation of materials, radiation damage studies, forensic science, nuclear detector characterisation and microbiological and life sciences studies.
The Centre provides key infrastructure for supporting International Atomic Energy Agency activities and provides training across a broad range of disciplines and technologies.
Enabled by

0-10MV
The voltage energy range of accelerators
11
Ion sources on accelerators
17
Beamlines on accelerators
Capabilities

Ion beam analysis
When an energetic ion beam hits a sample it will interact with the atoms through a number of very complex interactions. By detecting and measuring the reaction products resulting from the various interactions and their intensities, quantitative data on the sample's constituent elements and their spatial distributions can be readily obtained.

Accelerator mass spectrometry
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry is an ultra-sensitive analytical technique based on the use of an ion accelerator as a powerful mass spectrometer. The element of interest is chemically separated from the original material and loaded as a target in the ion source of the tandem accelerator. The ion beam produced from it is accelerated and isotopically analysed. Selected isotopes are identified and counted individually with ion detectors.
Accelerators
Enquiries
Discover how ion beam analysis and accelerator mass spectrometry can assist your investigation
Leader
