ARIBE, a platform dedicated to low energy ion research, located in Caen on the GANIL (National Heavy Ion Accelerator) site, is unique throughout Europe. The interdisciplinary research carried out there boasts international renown.

ARIBE is part of the CIMAP

ARIBE is part of the CIMAP
ARIBE is part of, and is managed by the CIMAP (Centre for Research on Ions, Materials and Photonics). The CIMAP was created early 2008. This CEA - CNRS - ENSICAEN - UCBN joint research unit reunites the skills of two former laboratories: The CIRIL (Interdisciplinary Centre for Laser Ion Research) and the SIFCOM (Interface Structure and Functionality of Thin Film).
In brief, its research activity involves the following fields:
• ion - matter interaction and relaxation of excited matter
• matter defects
• matter for laser, photonics and electronics
The theoretical bases and applications of such research are also among the themes developed in this new laboratory.

The accelerator’s primary function: to communicate energy towards ions in order to enable, within the framework of interdisciplinary research, their interaction with atoms, aggregates or biologically relevant molecules, surfaces and matter. The ARIBE platform is coordinated by Bernd Huber, a researcher in charge of the facility, and Laurent Maunoury, a research engineer at the CIMAP (Centre for Research on Ions, Materials and Photonics).

The latter offers a brief explanation on how the accelerator works, “the beams generated by ARIBE are of very low energy, contrary to those produced by the GANIL⁽¹⁾ (of which ARIBE is a constituent). The facility includes three sources enabling the production of multicharged ions, ions from biologically relevant molecules and aggregates (small clusters of matter comprising a few to several thousand atoms). The beam lines are rather like motorways which bring the ions to the point of interaction with the object being studied by the physicist.”
A concrete example of a research study involves the modification and the structuring of surfaces via ionic impact or aggregate deposit. The aim is to obtain structures of nanometric dimensions (millionth of a mm), which are in great demand in the field of nanotechnology.

A further field of application involves astronomy, in particular the formation of small organic molecules from the irradiation of interstellar ice in order to understand the origin of life: How are these molecules created? And how are they modified? A third example focuses on the interaction of multicharged ions with biologically relevant molecules (small fragments of DNA) to improve our knowledge on important fundamental processes for hadrontherapy (cancer treatment using ions).
For one year, the facility’s operating costs (including salaries) are approximately 250,000 Euros, jointly funded by the CEA, the CNRS, the Regional Council, ENSICAEN, Caen University and Europe.

Bringing research together at European level

One of the great particularities of the ARIBE facility is its European dimension and the international influence of its research. The accelerator is part of the European ITS LEIF ⁽²⁾ network, coordinated by Bernd Huber.

Seventeen Europe-based research groups - three of which are industrial, comprise this network, together with a further sixteen associated laboratories. “The aim is to create synergy between the different laboratories and to set up a platform for interdisciplinary research using low energy ions,” explains Bernd Huber.

Newsletters, annual conferences, summer schools: a number of specific activities to encourage the pooling of information. A conference to asses the network’s activities is planned at the GANIL, on the 15th and 16th of December 2008.
Aims for the future: to encourage new users, in particular from industry, to use the ARIBE platform to develop their projects. Skills focusing on ion sources in Caen have, for example, enabled the development of the new company, QUERTECH Ingéneurie.

1. GANIL: GANIL National Heavy Ion Accelerator - CEA è CNRS laboratory
2. Ion Technology and Spectroscopy at Low Energy Ion Beam Facilities.

Laurent Maunoury
Research engineer at CIMAP (since 2000), technical manager for ARIBE
Tel. 02 31 45 47 87

Bernd Huber
Researcher, in charge of the ARIBE facility (since 2002)
Tel. : 02 31 45 44 96

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