Activities on the development and application of particle accelerators in Indonesia

Activities on the development and application of particle accelerators in Indonesia have been carried out by the National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN) on a modest scale since 1979. At the Yogyakarta Nuclear Research Centre (YNRC) of BATAN, the scientists and engineers primarily through the method of learning by doing and in spite of very limited funds have succeeded step by step to upgrade their scientific and engineering capability to design and construct most of the components of a Cockcroft-Walton type 200 keV ion accelerator for ion implantation. Similar activities were successfully performed on a 150 keV deuteron accelerator as part of a neutron generator. Presently in progress are the activities to develop low energy electron accelerators to be used for various practical applications. Activities to plan the development of a modern accelerator based laboratory at the YNRC are also currently being carried out. BATAN has also acquired, installed and operated two electron accelerators (300 keV and 2 MeV) which are primarily used as electron irradiators at the BATAN Centre for the Application of Isotopes and Radiation (CAIR) in Jakarta, and a fixed low energy cyclotron mainly for radioisotope production at BATAN Radioisotope Production Centre in Serpong. Several hospitals in Indonesia have acquired and operated electron linear accelerators for nuclear medicine. This paper presents a brief overview of the status and future prospects of the activities on particle accelerators in Indonesia. (author)