UO₂ target preparation with spin coating assisted solution combustion synthesis

¹ Nuclear Science Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
² Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
³ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
⁴ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
⁵ A. Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory of Armenia, 2 Alikhanyan Brothers, 0036 Yerevan, Armenia

^* Corresponding author: amajumda@nd.edu

Published online: 22 June 2023

Abstract

A simple and efficient target preparation method is developed combining spin coating and solution combustion synthesis. Multiple smooth and uniform UO₂ targets have been prepared using this method on a variety of backings (aluminium, carbon, silicon) used in nuclear physics experiments. The thicknesses of the targets can be precisely tuned by changing the number of coatings within the range of ~50-1000 µm/cm². These targets are highly uniform (<5% deviation), robust, and remain strongly adherent to their backings even after being irradiated by high doses (10¹⁷ ions/ cm²) of 1.7 MeV Ar²⁺ ions.