PRODUCTION OF PARTICLE-TRACK MEMBRANES BY MEANS OF A 5 MV TANDEM ACCELERATOR

Beams of Si, Cl and Br ions from a 5 MV tandem accelerator are used for the irradiation of 300 mm wide polyester foil tape. The ions are generated by an inverse caesium sputter source, MISS 688, especially developed for a high beam intensity and a stable operation. The irradiation chamber has a two-compartment design. The foil handling system is installed in the low-vacuum part of the chamber. The foil tape can pass into the high-vacuum part by a vacuum-lock system where it is exposed to the ion beam. In order to achieve a cylindrical shape of the pores down to a pore size of 30 nm, a very efficient sensibilization procedure was developed. The new solvent-induced sensibilization is completed after two minutes and can be included in the etching equipment. The standard production program comprises 12 different pore diameters ranging from 0.03 to 5 μm. © 1990.