Secondary ion mass spectrometry and alpha-spectrometry of electrodeposited thorium films

Abstract

The main aim of this work was the preparation of samples with thorium content on the steel discs by electrodeposition for determination of natural thorium isotope by alpha spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry and finding out their possible linear correlation between these methods. The analysis of the composition of surface was other aim of study. Discs were measured by alpha spectrometer. After that, alpha spectrometry discs were analyzed by TOF-SIMS IV, which is installed in the International Laser Centre in Bratislava. The integral and normalized intensities of isotope of 232Th and intensities of ions of ThO+, ThOH+, ThO2H+, Th2O4H+, ThO2−, ThO3H−, ThH3O3− a ThN2O5H− were measured. The linear correlation is between surface’s weights of Th and intensities of ions of Th+ from identified in SIMS spectra. We found out the chemical binding between thorium and oxygen and hydrogen on the surface of samples by SIMS method. Obtained intensities of ions 232ThO+, 232ThOH+, 232ThO2H+ prove the presence of oxidized forms of thorium in the upper layers of surface. The oxidized ions predominate in univalent form of thorium up to deep about 3,000 nm.