Combined target-ion source unit for production of rare nuclides

A combined target-ion source unit (ionizing target) has been developed for the on-line production of radioactive single-charged ions. The target is able to withstand temperatures of up to 2500°C and also acts as an ion source of surface, electron-beam, and laser ionizations. Using tantalum foil as a target material, the on-line combined target-ion source unit efficiency, which is the product of the ionization and release efficiencies, has been obtained for neutron-deficient isotopes of Eu, Gd, and Yb. These nuclides were ionized by the surface ionization inside a hot tungsten target container, holding tantalum foils as a target material. The results of the combined target-ion source unit use for on-line laser resonant ionization spectroscopy investigation of neutron-deficient Gd isotopes have been also presented. For neutron-rich isotopes produced from a high-density UC target, which were ionized by the surface ionization inside the target container, the ionization efficiency values have been obtained close to 100% for Rb and Cs and 10% for In. For Ag and Sn neutron-rich isotopes, the values of the electron-beam ionization efficiency in the volume of the target container, correspondingly equal to 4% and 2%, have been obtained.