First Results on Zinc Oxide Thick Film Deposition by Inverted Magnetron Sputtering for Cyclotron Solid Targets...

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Medicine
• Materials Science
• Accelerator Physics

Background:

• Magnetron sputtering is a key technology for producing medical radionuclides using low-energy cyclotrons.
• High material costs and potential losses limit the use of isotopically enriched metals in current methods.
• Efficient material utilization and recovery are vital for meeting the increasing demand for theranostic radionuclides.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an alternative magnetron sputtering configuration to overcome material loss drawbacks.
• To create a novel inverted magnetron prototype for depositing thick films (tens of μm) for solid target manufacturing.
• To evaluate the feasibility and performance of this new approach for radiopharmaceutical applications.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel inverted magnetron sputtering prototype.
• Deposition of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) films (20-30 μm) onto Niobium (Nb) substrates.
• Characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffractometry (XRD).
• Assessment of thermomechanical stability under a medical cyclotron's proton beam.

Main Results:

• Successful deposition of ZnO films with thicknesses of 20-30 μm.
• Characterization confirmed film properties via SEM and XRD.
• Demonstrated thermomechanical stability of the deposited films under simulated cyclotron conditions.
• The inverted magnetron configuration was utilized for solid target manufacturing for the first time.

Conclusions:

• The developed inverted magnetron prototype offers a material-saving approach for solid target manufacturing.
• This technology is promising for the cost-effective production of medical radionuclides.
• Further improvements and utilization in the radiopharmaceutical field are anticipated.