Surface sterilization with high energy ions

Summary form only given. There is a commercial need for the sterilization of food containers in the bottling and packaging industry that will destroy bacterial spores and other microbes on a short time scale and without chemical agents. High-energy (e.g. 50 KeV) ions, extracted from a low-density plasma using an ion implantation approach, have demonstrated the potential to impart sufficient spore damage to prevent germination. The short stopping distance of the accelerated ions in the spores on the surface to be sterilized results in a high equivalent radiation dose rate at modest charge density to the surface. Hydrogen ions have been shown to provide sufficient penetration to result in relatively high damage rates, suggesting that high energy ions is a viable approach as a sterilization option for plastic containers. Tests results from exposures evaluated over various parameter ranges is presented.