Metal oxide films produced by polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) for nuclear science applications

Abstract

The Polymer-Assisted Deposition (PAD) method was used to create crack-free homogenous metal oxide films for use as targets in nuclear science applications. Metal oxide films of europium, thulium, and hafnium were prepared as models for actinide oxides. Films produced by a single application of PAD were homogenous and uniform and ranged in thickness from 30 to 320 nm. The reapplication of the PAD method (sixtimes) with a ten percent by weight hafnium(IV) solution resulted in an equally homogeneous and uniform film with a total thickness of 600 nm.

Elucidation of constant current density molecular plating

“…Work has focused rather on gaining empirical evidence on how to further improve the properties of the produced layers. Nonetheless, there is nowadays the common feeling that to increase the efficiency of the method to yet improve the obtained targets, e.g., with respect to radiation hardness, and before stepping to alternative target production techniques [14,15], it is highly desirable to reduce the knowledge gap between MP and well established electrochemical methods via an investigation and elucidation of such electrodepositions. For this reason, following a previous publication [16], an extensive investigation of the molecular plating process was carried out: constant current density electrolysis experiments in organic media using a neodymium salt as a model electrolyte were performed.…”

Actinide targets for the synthesis of super-heavy elements

“…A promising technique, still under development, is polymer-assisted deposition [63,64]. These and other actinide target fabrication techniques are briefly discussed below.…”

“…Recently, polymer assisted-deposition has been investigated as a new method to prepare actinide targets [63,64]. In this method, a solution containing metal ions chelated to a multi-dentate polymer is prepared.…”

“…Studies by M.A. Garcia et al [63,64] have used polyethylenimine as the polymer to apply this technique to lanthanides as surrogates for actinides. In contrast to molecular plating, polymer assisted deposition can be used to produce homogeneous and uniform films over a wider range of thicknesses.…”

Heavy-ion irradiation of thulium(III) oxide targets prepared by polymer-assisted deposition

“…Recently, Jia et al developed polymerassisted deposition (PAD) as an alternative method to prepare thin films of metal oxides [7]. We have shown previously that the PAD method yields highly uniform metal oxide films that may be suitable as targets for nuclear science [8]. Herein, we report the results from heavy-ion irradiation of several metal oxide targets, prepared by the PAD method, at the 88-Inch Cyclotron of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).…”