Semi-empirical parameterization of HI/p L-shell X-ray production cross section ratios in Bi for Heavy Ion PIXE

Quantitative analysis of materials from Heavy Ion PIXE spectra remains impeded by the lack of reliable X-ray production cross section (XPCS) data. Although efforts at experimental Heavy Ion induced XPCS measurements still continue, Multiple Ionisation (MI) effects, which are not fully described by theory, render simulations of heavy ion PIXE data unreliable for large Z1/Z2 collisions, especially at low energies. This is also exacerbated by the random selection of projectile-target combinations for measured and reported experimental data available to validate theory. This study explored heavy ion induced X-ray production cross section deviations from those induced by protons at the same ion velocity. This enabled evaluations of the degree to which cross sections are enhanced through MI effects, with the aim of predicting XPCS due to heavy ion impact. The evaluation was carried out through the scaling of experimental heavy ion to theoretical proton cross section ratios (R), which were then used for the interpolation of XPCS in the same target element for 'missing' projectiles within the range of evaluation. Here we present measurements of heavy ion induced total L-shell XPCS in Bi, carried out to determine HI/p MI induced deviations due to C, F, Cl and Ti projectiles at an ion velocity range of (0.2-1.0) MeV/nucleon.

Role of Boron in Assisting the Super-Enhancement of Emissions from Carbon-Implanted Silicon

The super enhancement of silicon band edge luminescence when co-implanted with boron and carbon is reported. The role of boron in the band edge emissions in silicon was investigated by deliberately introducing defects into the lattice structures. We aimed to increase the light emission intensity from silicon by boron implantation, leading to the formation of dislocation loops between the lattice structures. The silicon samples were doped with a high concentration of carbon before boron implantation and then annealed at a high temperature to activate the dopants into substitutional lattice sites. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were performed to observe the emissions at the near-infrared region. The temperatures were varied from 10 K to 100 K to study the effect of temperature on the peak luminescence intensity. Two main peaks could be seen at ~1112 and 1170 nm by observing the PL spectra. The intensities shown by both peaks in the samples incorporated with boron are significantly higher than those in pristine silicon samples, and the highest intensity in the former was 600 times greater than that in the latter. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to study the structure of post-implant and post-anneal silicon sample. The dislocation loops were observed in the sample. Through a technique compatible with mature silicon processing technology, the results of this study will greatly contribute to the development of all Si-based photonic systems and quantum technologies.

Structural and Photoluminescence Analysis on the Implantation of Carbon and Proton for the Creation of Damage-Assisted Emission in Silicon

We study the induced defects in the depth profiling of the silicon structure after being implanted with carbon and followed by high energy proton irradiation. It has been reported before that the formation of the optically active point-defect, specifically the G-centre is due to the implantation and irradiation of carbon and proton, respectively. It is crucial to quantify the diffusional broadening of the implanted ion profile especially for proton irradiation process so that the radiation damage evolution can be maximized at the point-defect formation region. Profiling analysis was carried out using computational Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) and Surrey University Sputter Profile Resolution from Energy Deposition (SUSPRE) simulation. The energies of carbon ions adopted for this investigation are 10, 20, 30, and 50 keV, while proton irradiation energy was kept at 2 MeV. Photoluminescence measurements on silicon implanted with carbon at different energies were carried out to study the interrelation between the numbers of vacancies produced during the damage event and the peak emission intensities.

Minimum lattice thermal conductivity of In3SbTe2 by surface Brillouin scattering

Phase-change materials are chalcogenide alloys used for nonvolatile memory applications due to their rapid and reversible structural transformation. In₃SbTe₂ is a promising candidate that exhibits transitions dependent on thermal conductivity. The minimum lattice thermal conductivity of amorphous In₃SbTe₂ is investigated by surface acoustic propagation. In₃SbTe₂ thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering on (100) Si. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and x-ray reflectivity were used to establish the elemental composition, deposition rate, and mass density. Using the Debye model, the thermal conductivity is extracted from fitted phase velocities measured by surface Brillouin scattering. The low thermal conductivity is revealed to be suitable for Joule heating.

Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soils from Witwatersrand Gold Mining Basin, South Africa

The study evaluates the health risk caused by heavy metals to the inhabitants of a gold mining area. In this study, 56 soil samples from five mine tailings and 17 from two mine villages were collected and analyzed for Asernic (As), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) using ICP-MS. Measured concentrations of these heavy metals were then used to calculate the health risk for adults and children. Their concentrations were such that Cr > Ni > As > Zn > Cu > Co > Pb > Hg > Cd, with As, Cr and Ni higher than permissible levels. For the adult population, the Hazard Index value for all pathways was found to be 2.13, making non-carcinogenic effects significant to the adult population. For children, the Hazard Index value was 43.80, a value >>1, which poses serious non-carcinogenic effect to children living in the gold mining area. The carcinogenic risk was found to be 1.7 × 10(-4) implying that 1 person in every 5882 adults may be affected. In addition, for children, in every 2725 individuals, 1 child may be affected (3.67 × 10(-4)). These carcinogenic risk values were both higher than acceptable values.

Modelling of Radiological Health Risks from Gold Mine Tailings in Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area, South Africa

Mining is one of the major causes of elevation of naturally-occurring radionuclide material (NORM) concentrations on the Earth's surface. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human risk associated with exposure to NORMs in soils from mine tailings around a gold mine. A broad-energy germanium detector was used to measure activity concentrations of these NORMs in 66 soil samples (56 from five mine tailings and 10 from the control area). The RESidual RADioactivity (RESRAD) OFFSITE modeling program (version 3.1) was then used to estimate the radiation doses and the cancer morbidity risk of uranium-238 ((238)U), thorium-232 ((232)Th), and potassium-40 ((40)K) for a hypothetical resident scenario. According to RESRAD prediction, the maximum total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) during 100 years was found to be 0.0315 mSv/year at year 30, while the maximum total excess cancer morbidity risk for all the pathways was 3.04 × 10(-5) at year 15. The US Environmental Protection Agency considers acceptable for regulatory purposes a cancer risk in the range of 10(-6) to 10(-4). Therefore, results obtained from RESRAD OFFSITE code has shown that the health risk from gold mine tailings is within acceptable levels according to international standards.

An Assessment of Radiological Hazards from Gold Mine Tailings in the Province of Gauteng in South Africa

Radiological hazards associated with exposure to Naturally Occurring Radionuclides Materials from gold mine tailings in the province of Gauteng in South Africa were evaluated. A comparison was made with soil samples from a control area. In this study, gamma spectroscopy was used to measure the activity concentrations of these radionuclides in 56 soil samples from the mine tailings and 10 soil samples from the control area. The average activity concentrations in Bq∙kg(-1) for Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and Potassium-40 from the mine tailings were found to be 785.3 ± 13.7, 43.9 ± 1.0 and 427.0 ± 13.1, respectively. On the other hand, the average activity concentrations in Bq∙kg(-1) for Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and Potassium-40 from the control area were found to be 17.0.1 ± 0.4, 22.2 ± 0.5 and 496.8 ± 15.2, respectively. Radiological hazard parameters calculated from these activity concentrations were higher than recommended safe limits. In particular, calculated average values for the external hazard (Hex) and the internal hazard (Hin) from the mine tailings were found to be 2.4 and 4.5. Both these values were higher than unity, posing a significant health risk to the population in the area.

Morphology, microstructure and chemical composition of single inhalable particles in Shanghai, China

The morphology, microstructure, and chemical composition of a variety of particles emitted from coal-fired power plants, steel plants, and vehicle exhausts, which are possible sources of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere, were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and compared with particle samples collected from urban atmosphere to identify the best footprint or the suitable indicator relating the existence of studied particles and their possible emitters by the morphology, microstructure, and chemical composition of the particles. The investigation indicated that the particles from these three sources are different in morphology, microstructure, and chemical composition. Sphere aggregates were generally the most abundant components, with silicon and aluminum as major elements. The urban air particulate contained particles similar to those observed in the power plant, steel plant, and vehicle exhaust samples suggesting that all three sources are contributing to the pollution in the city.