Investigation of Positron Moderator Materials for Electron-Linac-Based Slow Positron Beamlines

Abstract

Positron re-emission properties were studied on moderator materials in order to improve the positron moderation system of electron-linac-based intense slow positron beamlines. The re-emitted positron fraction was measured on tungsten, SiC, GaN, SrTiO3, and hydrogen-terminated Si with a variable-energy pulsed positron beam. The results suggested that tungsten is the best material for the primary moderator of the positron beamlines while epitaxially grown n-type 6H–SiC is the best material for the secondary moderator. Defect characterization by monoenergetic positron beams and surface characterization by Auger electron spectroscopy were carried out to clarify the mechanism of tungsten moderator degradation induced by high-energy electron irradiation. The characterization experiments revealed that the degradation is due to both radiation-induced vacancy clusters and surface carbon impurities. For the restoration of degraded tungsten moderators, oxygen treatment at ∼900°C is effective. Furthermore, it was found that oxygen at the tungsten surface inhibits positronium formation; as a result, it can increase the positron re-emission fraction.