Conversion of 160Gd2O3 to 160Gd by vacuum reduction-distillation

An enriched 160Gd target of 632 μg/cm2 on a tantalum backing of 1 mg/cm2 had been prepared in an ultra-high vacuum environment by the reduction-distillation method at the Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC). The target was used in static nuclear electromagnetic moment measurements at IUAC. The reduction of the 160Gd2O3 powder to 160Gd metal, the preparation of a tantalum-backing foil and details of the ultra-high vacuum evaporator facility of the IUAC are discussed. Further, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis was performed to check the impurity of the reduction agent in the target.