Preparation and Characterization of Thin Arsenic Targets for Stacked-Target Experiments

TL;DR

This paper details the preparation, characterization, and evaluation of thin arsenic targets for stacked-target experiments, introducing novel fabrication and non-destructive neutron activation analysis methods.

Contribution

It presents a new electrodeposition technique for arsenic targets, compares alternative fabrication methods, and introduces a neutron activation-based non-destructive characterization approach.

Findings

Achieved uniform arsenic deposits of 1-29 mg on titanium backings.

Demonstrated the effectiveness of neutron activation for non-destructive target analysis.

Compared electrodeposition with vapor deposition and deep eutectic solvent methods.

Abstract

Thin, uniform arsenic targets suitable for high-fidelity cross section measurements in stacked-target experiments were prepared by electrodeposition of arsenic on titanium backings from aqueous solutions. Electrolytic cells were constructed and capable of arsenic deposits ranging in mass from approximately 1$\unicode{x2013}$29 mg (0.32$\unicode{x2013}$7.2 mg/cm$^2$, 0.57$\unicode{x2013}$13 $\mu$m). Examination of electrodeposit surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis was performed to investigate the uniformity of produced targets. Brief studies of plating growth dynamics and structural properties through cyclic voltammetry were also undertaken. Alternative target fabrication approaches by vapor deposition and electrodeposition from a deep eutectic solvent were additionally conducted. We further introduce a non-destructive characterization method for thin targets by neutron activation, which is independent of neutron flux shape, environmental factors, and source geometry, while correcting for any potential scatter or absorption effects.