CUTBA (cleaning up the tower of Babel of acronyms) in IBA

The various techniques used in ion beam analysis (IBA) are referred to by names that are often abbreviated into acronyms. While some contractions like RBS, NRA or PIXE are well established, one observes in recent literature an increasing trend to introduce new ad hoc acronyms for specific applications or techniques, although names already exist that may be adapted to correspond rather accurately to the concept. In the present situation even people well informed of this field have more and more difficulties to understand what is meant by, for example, ESS, PES, HIRBS, CERDA, CCM or CSTIM. This is especially true when the acronyms are used in titles or abstracts, without definition. To deal with this situation a list of acronyms encountered in recent literature was submitted by electronic mail consultation to a large panel of physicists active in the IBA field. The outcome of this electronic forum was discussed at a workshop held at the IBA-12 conference. Useful recommendations have been worked out to facilitate understanding of IBA-related acronyms, a consensus having been reached to lay down some not overly rigid guidelines.