The ETH Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics (LIP) traces isotopes for archaeological applications such as radiocarbon dating, geology, and pharmaceutical applications The major focus is accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), and ion beam applications in materials sciences. Included in this focus are novel applications of ion beam based techniques as they can be applied to emergent fields within archeology, earth sciences, life sciences, and fundamental physics. Another part of this focus is participation in the development of the next generation, accelerator mass spectrometry machines. It also serves as an available laboratory for users interested in applying the techniques of ion beam analysis.[1]

The is facility also develops new instrumentation for AMS and ion beam analyses (IBA). Research includes the study of ions at low energies in order to develop new compact facilities for AMS and IBA. Accelerators are also employed to prove AMS and IBA applications, and for the detection of rare radionuclides. Detecting rare radionuclides is a method applied to radiocarbon dating, life sciences, geology, and climate research. Materials analysis is accomplished with IBA by employing Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) or Elastic recoil detection (ERDA).[2]

ETH Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics is located in Zurich, Switzerland.[2]

References

  1. "Laboratory for Ion Physics". ETH Zurich, Department of Physics. September 2010. http://www.phys.ethz.ch/phys/institute/lip/. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "The world of Ion Beam Physics". overview. ETH Zurich. September 2010. http://www.ams.ethz.ch/. Retrieved 2010-09-05.