Radiochemistry, an essential ally of nuclear physics: the example of protactinium

The measurement of the neutron-induced fission cross section of the ²³¹Pa isotope at CERN's n-TOF facility requires the fabrication of thin film ²³¹Pa targets on a thin substrate (2-μm thick aluminum foil). Given the rarity of the ²³¹Pa isotope, the complex chemical behavior of this element, and the inherent difficulties in handling radioactive material, an electrodeposition protocol compatible with the particular chemical properties of protactinium was developed using stable analogues (Nb, Ta), and then in the presence of the ²³³Pa isotope at the ultra-trace scale