Department of Physics

Cyclotron-based fast neutron beam facility at iThemba LABS

The fast neutron beam facility at iThemba LABS can provide quasi-monoenergetic neutrons in the energy range 30 to 200 MeV for fundamental research, applications and services. It is presently being upgraded to a specification that will allow it to be recognized as an international reference standard for fast neutron metrology.

Nanoelectronics research laboratory at UCT

The facility which features an ultracold (8 mK) closed-cycle dilution helium refrigerator (the coldest place in Africa), providing opportunities for fundamental nano-scale research and materials applications. The lab focuses on electron transport in materials for a range of applications from quantum metrology to renewable energy modalities. The materials science department at iThemba LABS operates a Van der Graaff accelerator, and a number of other facilities, useful for solid state physics research.

Positron emission particle tracking is a nuclear technique which allows a single tracer moving within a system of flow to be tracked with the field of view of a modified PET scanner. PEPT Cape Town is sited at iThemba LABS where two PET scanners have been adapted for PEPT measurements.

The facility features a D-T sealed tube neutron generator which produces nearly mono-energetic 14 MeV neutrons, and a 220 GBq AmBe source which produces a broad neutron energy spectrum. The neutrons from either the AmBe or STNG can be collimated into a beam for fundamental research and applications. We also operate a well-calibrated reference neutron detector and HPGe detector facility.