MARS

MARS beamline is aiming to extend the research capabilities on radioactive matter (α, ß, γ and n emitters) towards the use of synchrotron radiation in multidisciplinary fields (biology, chemistry, physics) with respect to safety national and European laws.

Station CX2: High Resolution XRD
This station is proposed for High Resolution X-ray Diffraction characterisations on powder samples.

This beamline is listed under authorization from ASN (French Authority for Nuclear Security). Because of its special characteristics the total equivalent activities present at the same time including the storage on the beamline could be up to 185 GBq with a maximum of 18.5 GBq (0.5 Ci) per sample.

The design of MARS beamline (infrastructure and optics) is also optimized to alternatively run two experimental stations in order to perform characterizations with transmission and high resolution X-ray powder-diffraction (XRD), Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS), standard and high resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and microbeam techniques (microXRF, XAS, XRD).

Current status  (2017):

Currently, the following configurations are operational:

1. Transmission XRD mode with 2D image plate detector;
2. Standard XAS mode in transmission or in fluorescence with multi-element Ge detector;
3. High resolution XAS mode with cristal analyser spectrometer;
4. Microbeam XRF, XAS and XRD mode;
5. High Resolution XRD mode on dedicated diffractometer.

• the experimental end stations : 
  mars_endstations_2011_2nd_sem.pdf (1.78 MB - pdf) (1.78 MB)

  Media Folder: 

  MARS
   
• Since September 2013, radioactive samples up to 20 000 times the French exemption limit for certain radionuclides are allowed on the beamline (only for measurements at ambient temperature and pressure). 
  list of radionuclides and maximum activity accepted : 
  mars_endstations_2011_2nd_sem.pdf (1.78 MB - pdf) (1.78 MB)

  Media Folder: 

  MARS
• the safety rules for radioactive samples (visit the safety requirement page here),