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Microscopic evaluation of contaminants in ultra-high purity copper

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Abstract

Copper is one of few elements that have no long-lived radioisotopes and which can be electrodeposited to ultra-high levels of purity. Experiments probing neutrino properties and searching for direct evidence of dark matter require ultra-clean copper, containing the smallest possible quantities of radioactive contaminants. Important to the production of such copper is establishing the location and dispersion of contamination within the bulk material. Co-deposition of contaminants during copper electrodeposition and its relationship to nucleation and growth processes were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and secondary ionization mass spectrometry (SIMS).

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the NNSA Office of Research and Engineering (NA-22) for their support of this work and Chuck Windisch for his technical assistance. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is managed by Battelle Memorial Institute under contract DE-AC05-76RLO1830.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Battelle Blvd., Richland, WA, 99354, USA

    E. W. Hoppe, E. E. Mintzer, C. E. Aalseth, D. J. Edwards, O. T. Farmer III, J. E. Fast, D. C. Gerlach, M. Liezers & H. S. Miley

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  1. E. W. Hoppe
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  2. E. E. Mintzer
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  3. C. E. Aalseth
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  4. D. J. Edwards
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  5. O. T. Farmer III
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  6. J. E. Fast
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  7. D. C. Gerlach
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  8. M. Liezers
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  9. H. S. Miley
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Correspondence to E. W. Hoppe.

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Hoppe, E.W., Mintzer, E.E., Aalseth, C.E. et al. Microscopic evaluation of contaminants in ultra-high purity copper. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 282, 315 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0241-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0241-1

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