Determination of the detection limit of Ni-59 at the Lund AMS facility by using characteristic projectile X-rays

Summary, in English

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is an ultra-sensitive method for counting atoms, both radionuclides and stable nuclides. When using small tandem accelerators to measure heavy isotopes, interfering isobars are often troublesome. One way to reduce this interference is to combine AMS with the detection of characteristic X-rays of the projectile. After analysis in the AMS system it is possible to identify ions of different atomic number by their characteristic X-rays, by slowing down the ions in a suitable target. In this paper, the detection limit of Ni-59 at the Land AMS facility is reported. A method for the chemical extraction of nickel from stainless steel, combined with a purification step to reduce the cobalt content in the sample by several orders of magnitude, is also described. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

• Author: Per Persson; Bengt Erlandsson; Kim Freimann; Ragnar Hellborg; Ragnar Larsson; Johan Persson; Göran Skog; Kristina Stenström
• Department/s: Nuclear physics; Department of Physics; Division of Chemical Engineering; Quaternary Sciences
• Publishing year: 2000
• Language: English
• Pages: 510-514
• Publication/Series: Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research. Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
• Volume: 160
• Issue: 4
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0168-583X(99)00622-9
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Topic: Subatomic Physics; Geology; Chemical Engineering
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0168-583X