Laser ablation of solids into an electron cyclotron resonance ion sources for accelerator mass spectroscopy

Abstract A project using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is underway at the ATLAS facility to measure the atom densities of transmutation products present in samples irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor at INL. T hese atom densities will be used to infer effective actinide neutron capture cross -sections ranging from thorium to califorium isotopes different neutron energy spectra relevant to advanced fuel cycles. This project will require the measurement of many sam ples with high precision and accuracy. The AMS technique at ATLAS is based on production of highly -charged positive ions in an ECRIS followed by injection into a linear accelerator. We use a picosecond laser to ablate the actinide material into the ion so urce. We expect that the laser ablation technique will have higher efficiency and lower chamber contamination than sputtering or oven evaporation thus UHGXFLQJ µFURVV WDON¶ EHWZHHQ VDPSOHV ,Q DGGLWLRQ Dmulti -sample holder/changer is part of the project t o allow for a quick change between samples. The results of off -line ablation tests and first results of a beam generated by the laser coupled to the ECR are discussed as well as the overall project schedule.