Located at WITS University in Johannesburg, the Tandem and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) Department hosts Africa's only AMS system, powered by a 6MV EN Tandem accelerator. Since its implementation in 2014, the AMS facility has become a crucial resource for heritage studies, environmental research, and geosciences. The department’s focus is on expanding its impact through international recognition, training, and scientific contributions.
6 MV
TAMS
The AMS facility at iThemba LABS, supported by a fully refurbished EN Tandem accelerator and a custom-built Low Energy Injection System, has been optimized for high-performance radiocarbon analyses, detecting 14C with remarkable sensitivity. This allows researchers to date samples as old as 50,000 years with smaller sample sizes than traditional methods. In addition to radiocarbon, the AMS system also specializes in analyzing other long-lived radioisotopes like 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl, providing critical insights into geological processes such as erosion, burial, and exposure dating. The department’s commitment to maintaining cutting-edge research infrastructure ensures its position as a leader in AMS and accelerator-based science across the continent.
Beyond geological and archaeological applications, the AMS facility plays a vital role in environmental science, particularly in studying air quality and climate change. By analyzing trace isotopes in the atmosphere, the facility helps researchers understand the movement of carbon and other elements through natural systems. This data is crucial for evaluating the impacts of human activities on the environment, enabling more informed decisions in sustainability and conservation efforts. The continued advancement of AMS capabilities at iThemba LABS will undoubtedly further South Africa’s scientific contributions to global challenges.
The low-energy physics programme studies the stability and structure of the nuclei in the atoms that comprise our environment, as well as the cosmic reactions that created them. The formation of the elements in the Universe, and the evolution of stars, can be understood through the study of stable and unstable nuclei, as well as the reactions that take place inside stars.
The Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) facility at NRF-iThemba LABS is the only AMS facility on the African continent and provides a platform for rare isotope measurements. The measurement of extremely low concentrations of 1C, 2°Al and 1°Be are used in various contexts to determine the age of samples. The AMS techniques used require much smaller samples compared to conventional methods and have, therefore, become the preferred methodology for dating ancient materials. The impact of an AMS facility on paleo-science in South Africa has been profound, as more dates allow for fundamentally better science to be conducted on the available
Charged particle beams from the 6-MV Tandem accelerator are used for the modification and analysis of thin films. and nanostructured materials. These particles are also used in quantitative and qualitative elemental analysis of various materials using ion-beam techniques such as Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) (real-time and normal), Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA), and Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM). The specimens that are analysed include geological, archaeological, and biological samples as well as coatings from government institutions, academia and other research organisations.
These analytical techniques are based on measurement of particle and photon energies after ion-atom collisions to give us the thickness, elemental composition and depth profiles of thin films.
A low-temperature analysis chamber specifically designed for thin film characterisation was recently constructed and installed. The newly developed chamber is equipped with two detectors to facilitate both Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and conventional Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA) measurements.
It also features a cryocooler cuvette system for efficient cooling of samples during heavy ion irradiation studies.
National Center of Excellence
Develop and maintain accelerator-based facilities for academic and industrial research in materials sciences.
Scientist Training
Train scientists and technologists through material synthesis and ion beam characterization, producing high-quality PhDs.
Community Scientific Literacy
Conduct world-class research in specialized areas such as ion-solid interactions and nanotechnology.
