Irradiating single cells using Cracow microprobe facility

The Cracow single ion hit facility (SIH) is using the Van de Graaff-based microprobe with current spatial resolution of about 10 μm in vacuum. Living cells are irradiated with the exact number of 2 MeV protons. This work shows the present setup and test measurements optimizing the detection of single protons, beam deflection after registering single proton and the accuracy of cell targeting as well as the description of performance of the whole setup. The article presents also ways of cells visualisation and positioning during a single measurement and reports on first experiments with living cells carried out at the new facility.