ISOL Targets Prepared with a New Paint Infiltration Coating Method

A new paint infiltration coating method has been developed for fabricating ISOL targets for radioactive ion beam applications. The technique has been shown to be inexpensive, fast, and almost universal for the uniform deposition of many refractory target materials onto the interior surfaces of complex geometry matrices, such as reticulated-vitreous-carbon-foam (RVCF). The process yields robust, highly permeable targets with fast diffusion and release properties. The use of compressed RVCF, coated with an optimum thickness of target material, reduces target lengths to practical values, while preserving high permeability. We have demonstrated the viability of the technique for coating RVCF compressed by factors of 6 and 10 with WSi2, to form targets for use at facilities such as the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA).