Studies on deposition of high energy Lu ions on metallic substrates using Multi-collector ICPMS

Abstract An in-house developed multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) was used for characterizing an indigenous high-current ion source to be employed for production of high intensity ion beam of lutetium (Lu) ions. The ion source is a critical component of Electromagnetic Isotope Separator (EMIS) facility, which is being fabricated for isotopic enrichment of lutetium in 176 Lu. As the ion source is a crucial component of the EMIS facility, it was essential to independently test its performance and optimize its parameters prior to its coupling with other subsystems of the EMIS facility i.e. magnetic analyzer and collector system, which are under development. Studies were carried out to determine the contribution of Lu + in the total ion beam extracted from the ion source by employing a collector setup at the exit of the ion source. The sample deposition on the collector substrate was analyzed, both qualitatively and quantitatively using MC-ICPMS. The contribution of Lu + ions to the total ion beam from the ion source was found to be ∼ 25% for the total ion current of ∼ 1 mA at an ion energy of 12 keV. Various parameters viz. Lu collection rate, collection per unit area and collection efficiency for deposition of Lu on various substrates of the collector were established. These studies have helped in understanding the deposition mechanism of Lu on different substrates, which has assisted in selecting appropriate target material and refining the design of the collector assembly. This paper discusses these studies in detail.