Development of 187Re targets for heavy ion induced reactions

To perform nuclear reaction experiment, very good quality, uniform and thin targets are necessary. In order to carry out evaporation residue cross section measurement of 19F+187Re reaction using Hybrid Recoil mass Analyzer (HYRA) facility at Inter - University Accelerator Center (IUAC) 187Re targets of thickness 200 μg/cm2 are required. More than 20 targets of 187Re of 200 μg/cm2 thickness with thin carbon backing have been prepared using 70 mg of 187Re. Being one of the highest melting points of all elements, high temperature involved in the process and limited amount of available isotopic material are the major constraints during the target development of 187Re. The targets have been successfully used for the nuclear reaction experiment. The method used for the development of several 187Re targets with minimum material consumption and the detailed characterization techniques applied for studying the targets are discussed in detail.