Projects / Programmes
Mapping in tokamak walls and inside biological cells
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 7.00.00 |
Interdisciplinary research |
|
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P230 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Atomic and molecular physics |
Fusion, hydrogen, plasma, tokamak, deuterium, cell, physiology, X-ray specrtrum, proton beam, tissue, microelements, heavy metals
Researchers (7)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
High-energy focused ion beam is formed by stron magnetic quadrupole lenses. Lateral elemental and isotopic maps are measured by controlled beam scanning over selected regions of specimen, resulting in a lateral resolution determined by beam size. Elemental mapping is based on detection of X-rays excited by focused proton beam. Focused ion beam of 3He isotope is used to excite nuclear reaction D(3He,p)4He, which is used to determine deuterium concentration in the sample. The project proposed includes:
1. Development of detection method and research of fuel retention in tokamak walls with high lateral resolution, based on deuterium mapping in materials exposed to tokamak plasma in controlled fusion experiments.
2. Development of frozen hydrated sample preparation and handling, as well as research with proton microbeam on frozen hydrated samples, which will feature unperturbed morphology at both tissue and sub-cell resolution level, including lateral distribution of major elements and microelements.
Significance for science
In the frame of the Project, we upgraded the measuring station with high-energy focused ion beam using own original ideas and construction approaches and at three fields we achieved level of world excellence:
- we constructed and put in operation in 2010 the only existing dedicated confocal PIXE setup,
-we upgraded the sample manipulation with the system for transfer and preservation of the tissue in the frozen hydrated state during the micro-PIXE spectroscopy at the temperature below -130 degree Centigrade.
- micro-NRA detection setup for work with 3He microbeam
Using this non-standard research methods, not available as commercially obtainable instruments, we are in a position to perform research at the many interdisciplinary fields, including biomedicine, fusion and environment.
Micro-PIXE with dedicated tissue preparation protocols is enabling the unique research of the physiological processes in life organisms, which is not possible or difficult with classical research methods in biomedicine. It provides quantitative elemental mapping of the tissue and simultaneous determination of distribution of physiological elements, microelements and heavy metals in the tissue. Special added value is introduced to the applicability of the method within the Project reported by the instrumentation and protocols for frozen hydrated tissue handling, as it provides the best approximation to the in-vivo state and enables the determination of elemental maps at the sub-cellular level.
With micro-NRA, developed within the project, we manage to perform measurements, which are not feasible with standard NRA method, more widely available related method with 1 mm beam diameter. Excellent lateral resolution of the micro-NRA method enables detailed insight in the processes in the exposed surface of the tokamak wall materials. We studied in detail the role of surface micro-topography on the fuel retention and investigated the processes in the castellated gaps, which contributes significantly to the knowledge required for the operation of new fusion device ITER.
Significance for the country
The Project enabled high-quality research at the field of biomedicine
with elemental mapping of biological tissue. The improvements in the
frame of the project resulted in the international recognition of the
Centre and the JSI at the international level. The recent improvements at the microprobe within the Project at the
field of frozen tissue technology will even increase the already present high
beamtime demand among the international community.
In this way the high-energy focused ion beam at the ion accelerator of JSI
became one of the few national large instrumental research installations, which
enables the access domestic as well as international researchers based on the
approved research proposal. In parallel with the handling and in-house
development of the high-energy focused beam technology, new industrial
applications and ideas for new hi-tec products are emerging as »spin-offs« (Industrial Project DPP in collaboration with Instrumentation technologies, d.o.o., Solkan).).
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
