Applications to cultural heritage diagnostics at the new nuclear microprobe beam line at CEDAD

A nuclear microprobe beam line has been installed at CEDAD (Centre for Dating and Diagnostics), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy. The beam line is connected to the −30° port of the high energy switching magnet of a 3 MV HVEE 4130HC Tandetron accelerator. It is based on an Oxford Microbeam magnetic quadrupole triplet and its general features are presented. The results of functional tests are presented showing how a lateral spatial resolution as low as ∼2 μm has been achieved in vacuum by analysing standard reference material. The results obtained in the analysis of ancient radiocarbon dated biological tissues are presented for the identification and distribution of toxic elements such as Pb.