ACCELERATOR RELATED ACTIVITIES IN VIETNAM

In Vietnam there are several small accelerators working since the 70’s in the low energy nuclear physics research and activation analysis. At present, the accelerators are used also in the industry and radiotherapy. For the long term nuclear power program of Vietnam, along with the research nuclear reactor, there is also a need to develop a multipurpose accelerator for manpower training, research, isotope production and other beam applications. The regional cooperation in this field is essential to facilitate successfully such a project. The Dalat research nuclear reactor, commissioned in 1962 and reconstructed in 1982-1984, has been serving as an effective tool for training and R-D in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Situation is quite different with the accelerators. Since 1974 a neutron generator (10 n/sec) has been installed at Institute of Physics (IP) in Hanoi for nuclear data study and activation analysis using 14-MeV neutrons. In 1982, a 15-MeV microtron was transferred from the JINR in Dubna to the IP in Hanoi. This machine is still operating today for post-graduate training and research. Heavy targets are used to produce the bremsstrahlung and neutrons for both the basic and applied physics. Neutron and gamma activation analysis method has been developed for the geological and environmental studies. These activities were reported at the APAC’98 [1]. In the Hanoi semi-conductor research institute there is an ion implanter MBP-200 which has been used for training and research in the material sciences or stable isotope analysis. The main technical characteristics of those facilities and their status at present are shown in Table 1.