Positron annihilation spectroscopy

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Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS)^[1] or Positron lifetime spectroscopy is a non-destructive spectroscopy technique to study voids and defects in solids.

The technique relies on the fact that a positron that comes in the immediate vicinity will cease to exist by annihilation. In the annihilation process of a positron and the electron gamma photons are set free that can be detected. If positrons are injected into a solid body their lifetime will strongly depend on whether they end up in a region with high electron density or in a void where electrons are scarce or absent. In the latter case the lifetime can be much longer because the probability to run into an electron is much lower.

By comparing the fraction of positrons that have a longer lifetime to those that annihilate quickly one can therefore gain insight in the voids or the defects of the structure. In the case of materials with a lattice structure like semiconductors this can be a dislocation or some other lattice defect. In the case of amorphous polymers this might the the free volume between the chains of the polymer.

The technique requires a source of positrons. A radioactive isotope of sodium is often used.