Inter-University Accelerator Centre (Formerly Nuclear Science Centre) was set-up by the University Grants Commission after due approval of the Planning Commission and the Prime Minister in October, 1984. Its construction started in December, 1986 and completed in time on Dec. 19, 1990 and became national user facility on July 8, 1991. The name of Centre was changed from Nuclear Science Centre (NSC) to Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) on 01-06-2005 (Registration of Societies Delhi No. S-19322 of Societies Registration Act of 1988).
The objective of the Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) is to provide within the university system, world-class facilities for accelerator based research in some focused area of several disciplines. This is the only IUC, which has the dual role, i.e., to establish world-class accelerator along with the experimental facilities in the beam hall and to create adequate infrastructure for enabling the university community to undertake internationally competitive research.
The Centre has established a world class medium energy heavy ion accelerator facility, within time schedule, for research within the university system and operating the system round the clock, seven days a week as a user facility. It has experimental facilities, in particulars science chamber and in-situ no more in beam line now. X-ray diffraction set up, on-line electronic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) and on-line quadrupole mass analyzer, which provide possiblities of internationally competitive research. It is in the process of augmenting the accelerator by addition of superconducting linac booster and a high current injector. The experimental facilities are being upgraded with large gamma array coupled to a hybrid recoil analyzer to operate both in vacuum and gas filled mode and facilities for on-line/in-situ materials science studies to keep it front ranking. The Centre also has a facility for low energy light RIB beams and Low Energy Ion Beam Facilities based on ECR ion source on HV deck.
User faculty of accelerator facilities : The facilities of this Centre has been used widely and effectively by more than 300 researchers coming from as many as 70 universities, 45 colleges and several regional/national research institutions spread across the country. There are researchers from several foreign countries using the accelerator facilities. Research is being conducted in atomic physics, materials science, nuclear physics and radiation biology.
Innovative Expt. for M.Sc Laboratory : There is a programme on design of innovative experiment for teaching laboratories and development of low-cost equipment with the involvement of the teaching community across the country.
Academic Programme : The Centre has academic programmen at different levels. Under M.Sc Orientation programme, postgraduate students from universities are invited for 3 weeks and given an opportunity to interact with research students and scientists at the Centre. Ph.D training programme has been formulated to meet the requirement of the inter-university centre where students come periodically and return back to their home institutions. The scheme of visiting associateship is offered to the faculty members to augment their research activities. IUAC organizes national/international workshops on thrust areas related to accelerator based research topics in different disciplines. Acquaintance programmes are held in different parts of the country every year to bring new users from the universities and colleges. The Centre brings out a Newsletter and an Annual Report each year, which are available in the website. There is an Accelerator Users Committee with several members from universities in different disciplines, which evaluates the projects and approves the beam time proposals twice a year.