Developing AMS measurement of 59Ni at CIAE

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurement of Ni-59 has been established at CIAE with the HI-13 tandem accelerator and the recently developed Delta E-Q3D detection system. Ni-59 standard and commercial NiO samples were measured to check the performance of the Delta E-Q3D detection system on Ni-59 isobar separation and suppression. An overall suppression factor of about 10(7) for the interfering isobar Co-59 resulting in detection sensitivity as low as 3.8x10(-13) atomic ratio (Ni-59/Ni) has been obtained. Based on these techniques, the AMS measurement method of Ni-59 with high sensitivity is developed.