Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at the Lund Pelletron Accelerator

Abstract

Three years ago, funds were raised to equip the 3 MV Pelletron accelerator at the Department of Physics, Lund University for accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS). We have modified the accelerator for mass spectroscopy by relocating focusing devices on both the low- and high-energy side of the accelerator and installing a Wien velocity filter and detectors for measuring the particle energy (E) and energy loss (ΔE). We have been working exclusively with 14C during the initial period. About 40 samples of elemental carbon have been produced, using Fe or Co as catalyst, during the last two years. The 12C− current from these samples is about 3–5 μA using an ANIS sputtering source. We are now planning 14C analyses in the fields of archaeology, Quaternary geology and radioecology.