PIXE beam line at the CENTA facility of the Comenius University in Bratislava: first results

Abstract

Optimization of the proton and helium beams from the alphatross ion source through the injection beam-line, the 3 MV Pelletron tandem accelerator, the high-energy analyzer and the PIXE chamber were carried out. Results obtained with the 4He ion beam showed better detection limits when compared with protons of the same energy and beam intensity. For detection of produced X-rays, a BEGe detector has been used, covering the energy range from 3 keV to 3 MeV. First measurements with 4He ions of 3.5 MeV energy included calibration runs with PIXE laboratory standards, as well as analyses of old silver coins.