Speaker
Dr
Lisa Biasetto
(LNL-INFN & Univerisity of Padova)
Description
The first online mass separated isotope (ISOL) beam was produced 60 years ago at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen. Krypton beams were obtained by fission reactions in a large and heated UO2 target positioned at proximity of a neutron converter [1]. Since then a large variety of other targets and primary drivers have been developed and used in several facilities throughout the world. At CERN-ISOLDE for example, actinide targets (ThnatCx, ThnatO2, UdepCx with diverse microstructures) have been developed for over thirty years and represent today more than 60% delivered beam time.
We report here the synthesis and first online tests of UCx targets made by carbothermic reduction of UO2 powders pressed with carbon nanotubes. This program took place within the SPES project and EURISOL-DS, in which carbide target materials are developed to meet the stringent requirements of both facilities in terms of mechanical, heat and isotope production characteristics [2,3]. The resulting material is compared with the standard ISOLDE UCx production target. We will provide in particular some details on the synthesis, properties and first radioactive ion beam yields obtained with these new targets.
Fig. 1. Left: SEM picture of UCx synthesized for SPES and compared to standard ISOLDE UCx target
Right : UCx target pellet synthesized with carbon nanotubes
References
[1] O. Kofoed-Hansen, K.O. Nielsen, Kgl. Danske Videnskab. Selskab, Mat.-fys. Medd., 26(7), (1951).
[2] A. Andrighetto, S. Cevolani, C. Petrovich, M. Santana, Eur. Phys J. A 30, (2006) 591.
[3] Final Report of the EURISOL Design Study, J. C. Cornell Ed., Nov. 2009 and references therein.
Primary authors
Dr
Lisa Biasetto
(LNL-INFN & Univerisity of Padova)
Dr
Thierry Stora
(CERN)
Co-authors
Dr
Gianfranco Prete
(LNL-INFN)
Mr
Matia Manzolaro
(LNL-INFN)
Prof.
Pier-Luigi Zanonato
(University of Padova)
Mr
Richard Catherall
(CERN)
Mr
S Carturan
(LNL-INFN)
Dr
alberto Andrighetto
(LNL-INFN)
