Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy: A Prelude to Modern Aspects

Abstract

This article deals with the insight of using the positron (the simplest antimatter) as an entity that non-destructively probes material structure to the extent of atomic size defects, also describes the tools that have been in practice in recent times and in the front line activities. It also guides the reader on the use of (monoenergetic) slow positron beams that are currently available to study surface/ near surface structural details of various advanced materials. In addition, the bound state of electron and positron (positronium) is touched upon along with various conjectures for harnessing such species and utility of such light quasi-stationary states have been included. A brief mention has been made on the application of positrons towards medical diagnostic aspects and its recent importance in an astrophysical context.

Ion-Beam-Induced Defects in CMOS Technology: Methods of Study

“…The physics of positron annihilation spectroscopy has been explained in textbooks [2,3] and research articles [4,5]. A positron injected into a solid becomes thermalized within a few picoseconds by ionizing collisions, plasmon and electron-hole excitations, and phonon interactions.…”