SAIP2026

Fabrication of thin-film targets for nuclear physics experiments at iThemba LABS and Daresbury Laboratory

9 Jul 2026, 11:00

20m

Lecture Hall GH2 (University of the Western Cape)

Oral Presentation Track B - Nuclear, Particle and Radiation Physics Nuclear, Particle and Radiation Physics -1

Speaker

Mr Esmond Craig Vyfers (University of the Western Cape)

Description

Thin-film targets are indispensable to nuclear physics research. This talk will
focus on Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques to produce mono- and
multi-layered samples in dedicated target laboratories at iThemba LABS and
Daresbury Laboratory [1, 2]. We produced such samples by thermally evaporat-
ing ZnS and LiF source-materials and Ni/Ti and Cr/Au metals in high vacuum
(∼10−7 mbar). Deposition of source-materials in such a high vacuum environ-
ment mitigates contamination and oxidation effects, in addition to decreasing
the melting point of the source-materials [3]. Suitable ion-beam and analy-
sis techniques used to characterize the evaporated source-materials and obtain
accurate estimates of the target uniformity and thickness will be described.

References:
[1] N.Y. Kheswa, E.Z. Buthelezi, and J.J. Lawrie. Making of targets for
physics experiments at iThemba LABS. Nuclear Instruments and Meth-
ods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors
and Associated Equipment, 2008.
[2] P.S. Morrall. The Target Preparation Laboratory at Daresbury. Nuclear
Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spec-
trometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2008.
[3] C.A. Bishop. Vacuum Depostion onto Webs, Films, and Foils. William
Andrew, 2011.