Fabrication of ⁵⁴Cr target on ¹⁹⁷Au backing

Study of fusion evaporation reactions throws light on nuclear structure through in beam γ- ray spectroscopy and lifetime measurements. Thick targets with thick backing materials are suitable for the spectroscopy and thin targets with thick backing of high Z materials are preferred for lifetime measurements by Doppler Shift Attenuation Method (DSAM). We are interested in both aspects of nuclear structure studies. For this reason we have decided to make a target of intermediate thickness of the order of 600-800 μg/cm² with a ∼12.0 mg/cm^{2 197}Au backing. A number of techniques e.g. electro-deposition, vacuum evaporation and ion beam sputtering are used for target fabrication