Fabrication of thin Molybdenum backed target using rolling method.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nuclear Materials

Background:

• Fabricating thin metal foils for targets requires robust adhesion between layers.
• Molybdenum (Mo) foils are susceptible to surface oxidation and carbonization during high-temperature processing.
• Achieving uniform and well-characterized thin foils is essential for reliable experimental results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for fabricating a thin natural Mo foil on a thick Au backing.
• To investigate the use of Indium (In) as an adhesion layer between Mo and Au foils.
• To characterize the fabricated Mo foil and the overall Mo-Au target structure.

Main Methods:

• Mo foil fabrication via rolling at elevated temperatures.
• Au foil fabrication using conventional rolling techniques.
• Indium (In) evaporation to create an adhesion layer (thickness ~86 μg/cm²).
• Surface analysis using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• Thickness measurements using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF).

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a Mo foil on an Au backing with an In interlayer.
• EDS confirmed surface oxidation/carbonization of Mo foil when heated in air.
• SEM and EDS were used for characterization of the thin Mo foil.
• EDXRF measurements determined Mo foil thickness (1.3 mg/cm²) and Au backing thickness (9 mg/cm²).

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates a viable method for producing thin Mo foils on Au backings with enhanced adhesion.
• Indium effectively acts as an adhesion promoter between Mo and Au layers.
• Characterization techniques confirmed the successful fabrication and properties of the Mo-Au target.