Linear electron accelerator based pulse radiolysis facility probing radiation - matter interaction

Since the first report of the chemical effects of radiation by Pierre and Marie Curie, researchers have needed tools to deliver ionizing radiation for their scientific studies in increasingly precise ways. In the mid-20th century, particle (primarily electrons) accelerators took over as the primary tools of radiation chemists. However, the development of pulse radiolysis techniques in the 1960s vastly increased the ability of radiation chemists. We at Radiation and Photochemistry Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre engaged in investigations of different thrust areas of radiation-matter interaction. However, the past twenty five years has seen an explosion of interest because of their pivotal role in physics, chemistry and biology. In the present talk, I would like to share some of the excitements from the first pulse radiolysis facility in the country based on 7 MeV electron LINAC which is the work-horse for Radiation Chemistry Research. After going through the essential hardware and software, we will have glimpses of our R and D programmes which have evolved around this facility. Future plans to make it more versatile facility will also be discussed. In the new frontier, we are in advanced stage of developing a picosecond pulse radiolysis facility employing photocathode RF gun. This will be used apart from radiation chemistry research for radiation damage studies of structural materials; polymers; biological material; charge-carrier dynamics of semiconductors and quantum dots. Further I will touch upon the new ultrafast sources with femtosecond resolution currently being developed internationally which will widen the canvas of radiation chemical research. (author)