Multilayered targets for superheavy element production

The production of superheavy elements requires targets capable of withstanding prolonged, high-intensity heavy ion-beam bombardment. Current methods, such as molecular plating, produce actinoid films with insufficient stability under these conditions. To address this, a thermally superior solid solu...

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Main Authors: Cerboni Noemi, Stephens Kyle J., Shepelin Nick A., Müller Elisabeth A., Steinegger Patrick, Maugeri Emilio A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2025-01-01
Series:EPJ Web of Conferences
Online Access:https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2025/12/epjconf_intds2025_01011.pdf
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author Cerboni Noemi
Stephens Kyle J.
Shepelin Nick A.
Müller Elisabeth A.
Steinegger Patrick
Maugeri Emilio A.
author_facet Cerboni Noemi
Stephens Kyle J.
Shepelin Nick A.
Müller Elisabeth A.
Steinegger Patrick
Maugeri Emilio A.
author_sort Cerboni Noemi
collection DOAJ
description The production of superheavy elements requires targets capable of withstanding prolonged, high-intensity heavy ion-beam bombardment. Current methods, such as molecular plating, produce actinoid films with insufficient stability under these conditions. To address this, a thermally superior solid solution between actinoids and Pd has been synthesized using the coupled reduction process and successfully tested. To further improve said technique, we aimed at confining Tb (i.e., a surrogate for late actinoid elements) within a thin Pd layer with a thickness of a typical target layer suitable for superheavy element synthesis. The thin Pd film was initially deposited onto a support composed of a Ni backing foil and a TiN layer intended to block the diffusion of Tb and Pd into the underlying Ni during coupled reduction. The thermal stability of the obtained multilayered samples and the diffusion behavior of Tb were studied by cross-sectional analysis via scanning electron microscopy coupled with focused ion beam milling and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2100-014X
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publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher EDP Sciences
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series EPJ Web of Conferences
spelling doaj-art-00d7b8d608a341348dbdde50636317e92025-08-20T03:32:23ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Web of Conferences2100-014X2025-01-013270101110.1051/epjconf/202532701011epjconf_intds2025_01011Multilayered targets for superheavy element productionCerboni Noemi0Stephens Kyle J.1Shepelin Nick A.2Müller Elisabeth A.3Steinegger Patrick4Maugeri Emilio A.5PSI Center for Nuclear Engineering and SciencesLaboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH ZürichPSI Center for Neutron and Muon SciencesPSI Center for Life SciencesPSI Center for Nuclear Engineering and SciencesPSI Center for Nuclear Engineering and SciencesThe production of superheavy elements requires targets capable of withstanding prolonged, high-intensity heavy ion-beam bombardment. Current methods, such as molecular plating, produce actinoid films with insufficient stability under these conditions. To address this, a thermally superior solid solution between actinoids and Pd has been synthesized using the coupled reduction process and successfully tested. To further improve said technique, we aimed at confining Tb (i.e., a surrogate for late actinoid elements) within a thin Pd layer with a thickness of a typical target layer suitable for superheavy element synthesis. The thin Pd film was initially deposited onto a support composed of a Ni backing foil and a TiN layer intended to block the diffusion of Tb and Pd into the underlying Ni during coupled reduction. The thermal stability of the obtained multilayered samples and the diffusion behavior of Tb were studied by cross-sectional analysis via scanning electron microscopy coupled with focused ion beam milling and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2025/12/epjconf_intds2025_01011.pdf
spellingShingle Cerboni Noemi
Stephens Kyle J.
Shepelin Nick A.
Müller Elisabeth A.
Steinegger Patrick
Maugeri Emilio A.
Multilayered targets for superheavy element production
EPJ Web of Conferences
title Multilayered targets for superheavy element production
title_full Multilayered targets for superheavy element production
title_fullStr Multilayered targets for superheavy element production
title_full_unstemmed Multilayered targets for superheavy element production
title_short Multilayered targets for superheavy element production
title_sort multilayered targets for superheavy element production
url https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2025/12/epjconf_intds2025_01011.pdf
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AT stephenskylej multilayeredtargetsforsuperheavyelementproduction
AT shepelinnicka multilayeredtargetsforsuperheavyelementproduction
AT mullerelisabetha multilayeredtargetsforsuperheavyelementproduction
AT steineggerpatrick multilayeredtargetsforsuperheavyelementproduction
AT maugeriemilioa multilayeredtargetsforsuperheavyelementproduction