William E. (Liam) Kieser
William E. (Liam) Kieser
Associate Professor


Room
ARC 411
Phone
(613) 562-5800 ext. 7314

Department of Physics

Biography

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a technology which uses particle accelerators and other ion beam tools to measure isotopes or rare atoms at concentrations as low as 1 part in 10^(16). Dr. Kieser’s research includes the development of ion sources and novel methods of isobar separation using ion beam cooling and chemical reaction cells. Applications of AMS utilize rare isotopes to (a) provide chronological information for Earth related processes and (b) trace chemical pathways in complex biological or geological systems. Dr. Kieser collaborates with researchers in these fields to establish new techniques for AMS analysis.

Selected publications

  • Eliades, J., Litherland, A.E., Kieser, W.E., Cousins, L., Ye, S.J., Zhao, X.-L. Cl/S isobar separation using an on-line reaction cell for 36Cl measurement at low energies. Nuclear Instruments and Methods B, doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2009.10.044, 2009
  • Kieser, W.E., Leung, K., Krestina, N., Zhao, X.-L., Litherland, A.E., Cornett, J. Development and Testing of an Integrated Combustion and Gas Ion Source System for AMS. Nuclear Instruments and Methods B, doi: 10.1016/j.nimb.2009.10.030, 2009
  • Krestow, J.S.A., Kieser, W.E., Litherland, A.E., Rucklidge, J.C., Wilson, G.C., Zhao, X.-L. Towards the analysis of Platinum Group Elements at Low Levels in Insulating Materials. Nuclear Instruments And Methods, B259: 194-198, 2007
  • Kieser, W.E., Litherland, A.E., Zhao, X.-L., Smith, J.N., Cornett, J., Cousins, L., Javaheri, G., Tomski, I. New Directions for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology. Proc. Int. Conf. On Isotopes in Environmental Studies - Aquatic Forum 2004, Monte-Carlo, Monaco, ed. P.P. Povinec and J.A. Sanchez-Cazeba, IAEA-CSP-26: 483-490, 2006
  • Kieser, W.E., Zhao, X.-L., Soto, C.Y., Tracy, B. Accelerator Mass Spectrometry of Iodine-129. Technique and Applications, Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 263: 375-379, 2005

Research interests

  • Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
  • Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
  • Ion sources
  • Isobar separation
  • Ion beam cooling
  • Ion beam – gas reactions
  • Radiocarbon
  • Radio-halides
  • Platinum group elements
  • Actinide elements