Since many years the target laboratory at the Institut für Kernchemie of the Johannes Gutenberg Universität is involved in target preparation for applications in heavy-ion collision experiments as well as for neutron-induced reactions. For this electrochemical deposition techniques are mostly applied to produce layers of lanthanide and actinide elements —among others, e.g., 242,244Pu, 248Cm, 249Bk, and 249,252Cf, respectively— with target thicknesses up to about 1000 μg/cm2.
Chemical separation techniques are applied to purify the target material prior to target production or to recover precious material from used targets. Here ion-chromatography techniques are applied. For determination of the deposition yield α-particle spectroscopy, γ-spectroscopy and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) is used. Radioactive tracers for yield determinations —if applicable— can easily be produced at the TRIGA reactor operated by the Institut für Kernchemie. Target homogeneity is checked with Radiographic Imaging (RI) and α-particle spectroscopy.
Role and main tasks
Within CHANDA UMainz is involved in all activities of WP3 and in particular in Task 3.6, if an actinide target is required.
Scientific and technical personnel involved
- Dr. Klaus Eberhardt: Senior Scientist. Deputy Manager of the Research Reactor TRIGA Mainz.