Heavy-ion irradiation of thulium(III) oxide targets prepared by polymer-assisted deposition

Thulium(III) oxide (Tm2O3) targets prepared by the polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) method were irradiated by heavy-ion beams to test the methodʹs feasibility for nuclear science applications. Targets were prepared on silicon nitride backings (thickness of 1000 nm, 344 μg/cm2) and were irradiated with an 40Ar beam at a laboratory frame energy of ∼210 MeV (50 particle nA). The root mean squared (RMS) roughness prior to irradiation is 1.1 nm for a ∼250 nm (∼220 μg/cm2) Tm2O3 target, and an RMS roughness of 2.0 nm after irradiation was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Scanning electron microscopy of the irradiated target reveals no significant differences in surface homogeneity when compared to imaging prior to irradiation. Target flaking was not observed from monitoring Rutherford scattered particles as a function of time.