Advances in accelerator technology have enabled the use of exotic and intense radioactive ion beams. Enhancements to tracking detectors are necessary to accommodate increased particle rates. Recent advancements in digital electronics have led to the construction or planning of next-generation detectors. To conduct kinematically complete measurements, it is essential to track and detect all particles produced as a result of the reaction. Furthermore, the need for high-precision physics experiments has led to significant developments in the detector field. In recent years, highly efficient and highly granular tracking detectors have been developed. These detectors significantly enhance the physics programme at dedicated facilities. An overview of charged-particle tracking detectors in low-energy nuclear physics will be given.

The collective acceleration of helium ions from its residual atmosphere in the Luce diode was studied at helium pressures from 0.13 to 0.23 Pa. The energy of accelerated ions was determined from the drift velocity of the virtual cathode accelerating the ions. The number of 4He was determined by radioactivities of 13N and 30P induced in h-BN and Al targets via the nuclear reactions 10B(α,n)13N and 27Al(α,n)30P. The efficiency of capturing 4He ions in collective acceleration from the residual helium atmosphere was estimated as 0.25%. With increasing helium pressure above 0.15 Pa, the energy of the main ion group noticeably decreased to 0.46 MeV/amu compared to the acceleration from a usual residual atmosphere (~0.6 MeV/amu); however, the probability of ion acceleration to a specific energy of up to 1.57 MeV/amu increased significantly. Such increases in the ion energy were accompanied by the appearance of the signal of the second virtual cathode 7–9 ns after the appearance of the first virtual cathode.

Silicon carbide junction field-effect transistors (SiC JFETs) are promising candidates as devices applicable to radiation conditions, such as the decommissioning of nuclear facilities or the space environment. We investigate the origin of the threshold volage (Vth) shift and hysteresis of differently structured SiC JFETs. A large positive Vth shift and hysteresis are observed for a depletion-type JFET with a larger depletion layer width. With changing the sweep range of the gate voltage and depletion width, the Vth shift was positively proportional to the difference between the channel depth and depletion width (channel depth–gate depletion width). By illuminating the sub-band gap light, the Vth of the irradiated depletion JFETs recovers close to nonirradiated ones, while a smaller shift and hysteresis are observed for the enhancement type with a narrower width. It can be interpreted that positive charges generated in a gate depletion layer cause a positive Vth shift. When they are swept out from the depletion layer and trapped in the channel, this gives rise to a further Vth shift and hysteresis in gamma-irradiated SiC JFETs.

In this paper, the magnetic heating effect of the superconducting quarter-wave resonator (QWR) cavities is investigated, and the Q slopes of the superconducting cavities are measured with an increasing accelerating field. Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) resistance is calculated for the zero-temperature limit. The vertical test is shown for the performance test of the QWR cavities. The parameters for the QWR cavity are presented. The Q slopes are measured as a function of an accelerating electric field at 4.2 K. The surface resistance of the superconducting cavity increases with an increasing peak magnetic field. The magnetic defects degrade the quality factor. From the magnetic degradation, we determine the magnetic moments of the superconducting cavities. All quarter-wave resonator (QWR) cryomodules are installed in the tunnel, and beam commissioning is performed successfully.

The popularity of the pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of X-ray total scattering data has steadily grown as access to ex situ synchrotron data has expanded. Due to the broadening of the PDF user community, there is a growing demand for software that can be used to extract PDFs and is accessible to non-expert users. While user-friendly options have been developed over the past decade for fast, streamlined data analysis, care must be taken in both processing the data and understanding any limitations, especially in the case of liquids. In this review, the same scattering data are analyzed using different total X-ray scattering software, in order to compare the accuracy of the extracted structure factors and associated pair distribution functions. The goal is to assess the best practices for extracting the most accurate liquid data for each software package. The importance of absolute normalization and the application of the most appropriate corrections are emphasized via quantitative comparisons between liquid sulfur and water. Additionally, an awareness of the competing conventions used to define the PDF in crystallography and liquids/glasses is crucial for both the downstream analyses of the data and a comparison with the previous results in the literature.

The interaction of ion beams with dielectric materials is an urgent problem, both from the point of view of practical application in ion implantation processes and for understanding the fundamental processes of charge compensation and the effective interaction of beam ions with a target surface. This paper presents the results of studies of the processes of compensation of the surface charge of an insulated collector upon interaction with a beam of metal ions with energies up to 50–150 keV. At low pressure (about 10−6 torr), removing the collector from the region of extraction and beam formation makes it possible to reduce the floating potential to a value of 5–10% of the total accelerating voltage. This phenomenon allows for the efficient implantation of metal ions onto the surface of alumina ceramics. We have shown that the sheet resistance of dielectric targets depends on the material of the implanted metal ions and decreases with an increase in the implantation dose by 3–4 orders of magnitude compared with the initial value at the level of 1012 Ω per square.

The present paper reviews the applications of Raman spectroscopy in dentistry in the past two decades. This technique is considered a highly promising optical modality, widely used for the chemical identification and characterization of molecular structures, providing detailed information on the structural arrangement, crystal orientations, phase, and polymorphism, molecular interactions and effects of bonding, chemical surrounding environment, and stress on samples. Raman spectroscopy has been appropriate to investigate both organic and inorganic components of dental tissues since it provides accurate and precise spectral information on present minerals through the observation of the characteristic energies of their vibrational modes. This method is becoming progressively important in biomedical research, especially for non-invasiveness, non-destructiveness, high biochemical specificity, low water sensitivity, simplicity in analyzing spectral parameters, near-infrared region capability, and in vivo remote potential by means of fiber-optics. This paper will address the application of Raman spectroscopy in different fields of dentistry, found to be the most relevant and prevalent: early recognition of carious lesions; bleaching products performance; demineralizing effect from low-pH foods and acidic beverages; and efficiency of remineralization agents. Additionally, this review includes information on fiber-optic remote probe measurements. All described studies concern caries detection, enamel characterization, and assessment indicating how and to what extent Raman spectroscopy can be applied as a complementary diagnostic method.

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Neutron imaging based on a compact Talbot–Lau interferometer was demonstrated using the RIKEN accelerator-driven compact neutron source (RANS). A compact Talbot–Lau interferometer consisting of gadolinium absorption gratings and a silicon phase grating was constructed and connected to the RANS. Because of pulsed thermal neutrons from the RANS and a position-sensitive detector equipped with time-of-flight (TOF) analysis, moiré interference patterns generated using the interferometer were extracted at a TOF range around the design wavelength (2.37 Å) optimal for the interferometer. Differential phase and scattering images of the metal rod samples were obtained through phase-stepping measurements with the interferometer. This demonstrates the feasibility of neutron phase imaging using a compact neutron facility and the potential for flexible and unique applications for nondestructive evaluation.

Al-Sn binary system is a miscibility gap alloy consisting of an Al-rich phase and a Sn-rich phase. This system is traditionally applied in bearings and more recently found application as form-stable phase change material (PCM) exploiting solid-liquid phase transition of Sn. A careful choice of production process is required to avoid macro-segregation of the two phases, which have different densities and melting temperatures. In the present study, the additive manufacturing process known as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) was applied to an Al-Sn alloy with 20% volume of Sn, as a rapid solidification process. The effect of process parameters on microstructure and hardness was evaluated. Moreover, feasibility and stability with thermal cycles of a lattice structure of the same alloy were experimentally investigated. An Al-Sn lattice structure could be used as container for a lower melting organic PCM (e.g., a paraffin or a fatty acid), providing high thermal diffusivity thanks to the metallic network and a “safety system” reducing thermal diffusivity if the system temperature overcomes Sn melting temperature. Even if focused on Al-Sn to be applied in thermal management systems, the study offers a contribution in view of the optimization of manufacturing processes locally involving high solidification rates and reheat cycles in other miscibility gap alloys (e.g., Fe-Cu) with similar thermal or structural applications.