Developing AMS measurement of $^{59}$Ni at CIAE

Abstract

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurement of $^{59}$Ni has been established at CIAE with the HI-13 tandem accelerator and the recently developed $\Delta E$-Q3D detection system. $^{59}$Ni standard and commercial NiO samples were measured to check the performance of the $\Delta E$-Q3D detection system on $^{59}$Ni isobar separation and suppression. An overall suppression factor of about 10$^{7}$ for the interfering isobar $^{59}$Co resulting in detection sensitivity as low as 3.8$\times 10^{-13}$ atomic ratio ($^{59}$Ni/Ni) has been obtained. Based on these techniques, the AMS measurement method of $^{59}$Ni with high sensitivity is developed.