HIVIPP

Schematic representation of the HIVIPP technique
Schematic representation of the HIVIPP technique: electrodes in green (top) and red (bottom) connected to the substrates in gray, separated by the quartz cylinder where the powder material is placed. 
Part of HIVIPP apparatus at LNL
Part of HIVIPP apparatus at LNL: vacuum chamber with the sample holder and the electrodes and the feedthrough for the high voltage.

Among the deposition technologies able to use the exact material amount for target manufacturing starting from powder, High Energy Vibrational Powder Plating (HIVIPP) have started to be investigated within  E_PLATE project. 
The technology exploits the motion of the metallic powder in a static electric field. The substrates works as electrodes, and they are insulated from each other by a quartz cylinder where the powder to be deposited is inserted. The process is performed in vacuum and high voltage (10s kV) is applied between the electrodes.

The HIVIPP technique could be a viable, simple, and material-cost-saving alternative for thin target manufacturing, starting from metal powder, suitable for nuclear cross section measurements.
The HIVIPP was successfully employed for the preparation of thin (ca. 5 µm) enriched 48,49,50Ti deposition onto Al substrates used as targets for nuclear cross-section measurements for the production of 47Sc (PASTA, E_PLATE and REMIX project). 
A dedicated HIVIPP apparatus was developed by the LARAMED group within E-PLATE project, and it is available for further studies using different materials. 

Example of target manufactured by HIVIPP technique
Example of targets manufactured by HIVIPP technique: 
natMo on Cu, 48,49,50Ti on Al

HIVIPP advantages:

  • Starting material: metal powder
  • Low amount of starting material is needed
  • Efficiency >95%:no losses of the material
  • Two targets are deposited simultanously

More information can be found here:
 * Cisternino, S.; Skliarova, H.; Antonini, P.; Esposito, J.; Mou, L.; Pranovi, L.; Pupillo, G.; Sciacca, G. Upgrade of the HIVIPP Deposition Apparatus for Nuclear Physics Thin Targets Manufacturing. Instruments 2022, 6, 23, doi:10.3390/instruments6030023.
* Cisternino, S. ; De Dominicis, L.; Mou, L.; Esposito, J.; Gennari, C.; Calliari, I.; Pupillo, G. Cryomilling of Isotope-Enriched Ti Powders for HIVIPP Deposition to Manufacture Targets for Nuclear Cross Section Measurement. Materials 2023, 16, 3926, doi:10.3390/ma16113926.
* H. Skliarova, S. Cisternino, L. Pranovi, L. Mou, G. Pupillo, V. Rigato, C. Rossi Alvarez. HIVIPP deposition and characterization of isotopically enriched 48Ti targets for nuclear cross-section measurements. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 2020, 164371, doi:10.1016/j.nima.2020.164371

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