Alpha spectrometric characterization of thin $^{233}$U sources for $^{229\text{(m)}}$Th production
Abstract
Four different techniques were applied for the production of $^{233}$U alpha recoil ion sources, providing $^{229}$Th ions. They were compared with respect to a minimum energy spread of the $^{229}$Th recoil ions, using the emitted alpha particles as an indicator. The techniques of Molecular Plating, Drop-on-Demand inkjet printing, chelation from dilute nitric acid solution on chemically functionalized silicon surfaces, and self-adsorption on passivated titanium surfaces were used. All fabricated sources were characterized by using alpha spectrometry, radiographic imaging, and scanning electron microscopy. A direct validation for the estimated recoil ion rate was obtained by collecting $^{228}$Th recoil ions from $^{232}$U recoil ion sources prepared by self-adsorption and Molecular Plating. The chelation and the self-adsorption based approaches appear most promising for the preparation of recoil ion sources delivering monochromatic recoil ions.
- Publication:
-
arXiv e-prints
- Pub Date:
- April 2020
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.2004.02571
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2004.02571
- Bibcode:
- 2020arXiv200402571H
- Keywords:
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- Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors;
- Nuclear Experiment
- E-Print:
- 20 pages, 14 figures, 11 tables, ahead of print at Radiochim. Acta (2020)