Development of microbeam technology to expand applications at TIARA

Herein, we review the last half decade of progress in ion-microbeam technology and applications at the Takasaki Ion Accelerators for Advanced Radiation Applications facility. Materials were microanalysed with the light-ion-microbeam system by combining micro-particle-induced X-ray and gamma-ray emission, nuclear-reaction analysis and micro-ion-beam-induced luminescence to analyse elements, including light elements such as lithium, boron or fluoride, and also their chemical states. For microfabrication, we used particle-beam writing and techniques of maskless patterning to processes materials without etching. The goal was to develop optical, magnetic or other new types of microdevices with both light-ion and the heavy-ion microbeam systems. In addition, techniques were developed to monitor in real time every individual ion injection by using an efficient scintillator or a thin diamond particle detector in both heavy-ion and high-energy heavy-ion microbeam systems. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.