Recent developments in positron research

Positrons are proving to be powerful analysis tool in the field of materials research and development. Due to positrons' highly interactive nature and how they affect their surroundings when they become trapped in a defect, positron spectroscopy is a fast growing field. Positron spectroscopy may be utilized to detect and analyze defects on and near the surfaces of many materials used in engineering applications today. This spectroscopy technique is very useful in the silicon and semiconductor industry for locating and analyzing the low amount of defects present in those materials. The research in this field is growing every year, with more types of positron sources being developed and more complete systems being operated. A recent review of the search in the positron fields of materials analysis and spectroscopy research is provided. (author)