Development of a Reference Database for Particle-Induced Gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) Spectroscopy

Several ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques are important for analytical purposes. Particle Induced Gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) is one of the most powerful analytical techniques that exploit the interactions of rapid (~ MeV) charged particles with matter to determine the composition and structure of the surface regions of solids (from ~ 0 to 500 ?m) by measurement of characteristic prompt ? rays. This technique can be used for different applications ranging from analysis of fission reactor materials to biomedicine, environment, cultural heritage and, more recently, fusion reactor materials. It has the potential for depth profiling with better resolution than the other IBA techniques. The basic physical processes underlying PIGE are now well understood, but the reliability of analytical results is limited by lack of knowledge of the physical data namely stopping powers and the relevant cross sections.
Although there is a considerable body of published data in the nuclear physics literature, there is no up-to-date, comprehensive compilation especially dedicated to the IBA community.
The aim of this CRP is to create a database of Particle induced Gamma ray emission cross sections to improve the quality and availability of nuclear data for PIGE. The database will be made available to Member States through the Web and on CD-ROM.