Using a wide-beam ion source to produce large area sputtered films for low-energy laboratory studies of alpha capture cross-sections

A method for the production of well adhering thin film layers of oxide compounds was developed at Argonne National Laboratory using a wide-beam saddle field ion beam source. These deposits were to be subsequently exposed to alpha particle beams at the University of Notre Dame and the Weizmann Institute for nuclear astrophysics studies involving low-energy alpha capture cross-section measurements. The deposits produced had to be uniform, adhere well to the cooled substrates used, and withstand the high dose irradiation. A description of the apparatus, production method, and some preliminary results will be presented.