Introduction The COSTIS system is a commercially available target station for the irradiation of solid targets. Up to 3 targets can be provided for irradiation by a slot system. In standard setup the target can be ejected via a pneumatically driven piston system. The target is then allowed to drop down into an open lead container, which can be closed remotely afterwards. The described procedure is well established and reliable. But the concept is limited to low dose targets and environments. The required entering of the cyclotron vault for manual pick up of the container at the cyclotron and the light 18 mm Pb lead shielding of the container itself cause exposure risk for the personnel after long term irradiations with highly activated cyclotron parts and target. The purpose of this work was the design of an alternative for the pickup and the transport of irradiated targets to minimize the radiation dosage of the personnel during manual handling of the COSTIS-lead container. Principle The new designed transport system still uses the software controlled target ejection function of the COSTIS/IBA-system. With ejection the target capsule is allowed to fall into a PTFE-container. To assure a safe target drop into the PTFE container, the gap between the target guiding plate and the PTFE container is smaller than d/2 of the target capsule. After target ejection the PTFE-container can be transferred remotely from target ejection position (1) to the loading station (2) with a target slide. The loading station allows the transfer of the PTFE container remotely into a lead container (60 mm Pb). Now the vault door is used as carrier of the Pb-container. For this purpose a proper fixture for the Pb-container is mounted at the front side of the vault door and via opening the vault door the container is safely transported out of the vault. Outside the container will be finally closed with a lid and transferred to a trolley for further handling. Due to positioning of the container at a certain altitude together with the deep positioning of the target coin inside of the container, the subsequent closing of the container does not cause significant dosage, a more complicated automatic closing system is not mandatory. After replacement of the lead container further transfers can be executed without entering the vault. For this purpose the exchanged Pb-container is placed at the loading station by closing the vault door and a new PTFE-container will be transferred remotely from a magazine onto the target slide, which again can be re-motely positioned at target ejection position. The magazine of PTFE-Containers holds two replacements in accordance with the maximal capacity of the target slot system of the COSTIS station. The remote system of the transport unit uses redundant feedback signals for a reliable and safe operation. Results and Conclusion The newly implemented transport system allows a significant reduction of the radiation dose during pickup and transport of the irradiated solid targets. No entering of the vault is needed after irradiation. The system is highly reliable due to its redundant and straightforward design (2-fold position switches and photoelectric barriers). Due to fixed attachment points in the vault and at the BTL the mobile unit can be easily removed or mounted. The system is maintenance free and all parts easy accessible. For further handling of the targets lead containers were design to fit in the transfer locks of hot cells. The transfer can be carried out directly from the trolley. Container lid and PTFE container are suited for manipulator handling in hot cells.

Introduction A widely distributed commercially available target station for the irradiation of solid targets is the COSTIS system. The system is specified for beams up to 500 W and is equipped with a front side He-cooling and water cooling on the back side. The target itself has a coin shape with a diameter of 24 mm and thickness of 2 mm. This recommends the system for irradiation of thin targets like foils but it is also useable for irradiation of metal and oxide powders. However the irradiation of powders and granulates is limited due to the dimension of the target capsule. A setup of a capped closed target is hardly achievable. The purpose of this work was the modification of the COSTIS target station for the use of thicker target capsules. This shall enable the more easy and safe handling and irradiation of powdery targets and the use of lockable target capsules. Material and Methods The adaption of the COSTIS system for wider targets is easy and fast achievable by the ex-change of the target guiding plate together with the four distance bolts and their bearings. The effort of the replacement of the standard with the modified parts is comparable with COSTIS maintenance including exchange of the window foil and the O-rings. For the target capsule itself different designs were developed and tested. Now various target capsules are available, depending on required energy, handling needs and properties of the target material. Different locking systems can be used, from “click” capsules to screwable systems. Additionally the tightness of the target capsule can be achieved by placement of on O-ring between the lid and capsule body. Results and Conclusion The wider target body allows the capping of the target material. This enables a wide range of applications. One aspect is the nanoparticle research, where radiolabelling is an excellent tool for in situ online investigations. The chosen design of the target capsule allowed the direct activation of TiO2 nanoparticles. Via the nuclear reaction 48Ti(p,n)48V radiolabelled [48V]TiO2 nanoparticles can be obtained. Another example is the use of recoil effects for radiolabelling of nanoparticles. In this case the kinetic energy of the product of the nuclear reaction 7Li(p,n)7Be is used to implant a radioactive tracer in different nanomaterials like Ag0 – nanoparticles and MWCNT (multi wall carbon nano tubes). In general the irradiation of powders and granulates benefits from the modified design that allows the more flexible adaption to experimental needs.

Introduction The COSTIS system is a commercially available target station for the irradiation of solid targets. Up to 3 targets can be provided for irradiation by a slot system. In standard setup the target can be ejected via a pneumatically driven piston system. The target is then allowed to drop down into an open lead container, which can be closed remotely afterwards. The described procedure is well established and reliable. But the concept is limited to low dose targets and environments. The required entering of the cyclotron vault for manual pick up of the container at the cyclotron and the light 18 mm Pb lead shielding of the container itself cause exposure risk for the personnel after long term irradiations with highly activated cyclotron parts and target. The purpose of this work was the design of an alternative for the pickup and the transport of irradiated targets to minimize the radiation dosage of the personnel during manual handling of the COSTIS-lead container. Principle The new designed transport system still uses the software controlled target ejection function of the COSTIS/IBA-system. With ejection the target capsule is allowed to fall into a PTFE-container. To assure a safe target drop into the PTFE container, the gap between the target guiding plate and the PTFE container is smaller than d/2 of the target capsule. After target ejection the PTFE-container can be transferred remotely from target ejection position (1) to the loading station (2) with a target slide. The loading station allows the transfer of the PTFE container remotely into a lead container (60 mm Pb). Now the vault door is used as carrier of the Pb-container. For this purpose a proper fixture for the Pb-container is mounted at the front side of the vault door and via opening the vault door the container is safely transported out of the vault. Outside the container will be finally closed with a lid and transferred to a trolley for further handling. Due to positioning of the container at a certain altitude together with the deep positioning of the target coin inside of the container, the subsequent closing of the container does not cause significant dosage, a more complicated automatic closing system is not mandatory. After replacement of the lead container further transfers can be executed without entering the vault. For this purpose the exchanged Pb-container is placed at the loading station by closing the vault door and a new PTFE-container will be transferred remotely from a magazine onto the target slide, which again can be re-motely positioned at target ejection position. The magazine of PTFE-Containers holds two replacements in accordance with the maximal capacity of the target slot system of the COSTIS station. The remote system of the transport unit uses redundant feedback signals for a reliable and safe operation. Results and Conclusion The newly implemented transport system allows a significant reduction of the radiation dose during pickup and transport of the irradiated solid targets. No entering of the vault is needed after irradiation. The system is highly reliable due to its redundant and straightforward design (2-fold position switches and photoelectric barriers). Due to fixed attachment points in the vault and at the BTL the mobile unit can be easily removed or mounted. The system is maintenance free and all parts easy accessible. For further handling of the targets lead containers were design to fit in the transfer locks of hot cells. The transfer can be carried out directly from the trolley. Container lid and PTFE container are suited for manipulator handling in hot cells.

Introduction A widely distributed commercially available target station for the irradiation of solid targets is the COSTIS system. The system is specified for beams up to 500 W and is equipped with a front side He-cooling and water cooling on the back side. The target itself has a coin shape with a diameter of 24 mm and thickness of 2 mm. This recommends the system for irradiation of thin targets like foils but it is also useable for irradiation of metal and oxide powders. However the irradiation of powders and granulates is limited due to the dimension of the target capsule. A setup of a capped closed target is hardly achievable. The purpose of this work was the modification of the COSTIS target station for the use of thicker target capsules. This shall enable the more easy and safe handling and irradiation of powdery targets and the use of lockable target capsules. Material and Methods The adaption of the COSTIS system for wider targets is easy and fast achievable by the ex-change of the target guiding plate together with the four distance bolts and their bearings. The effort of the replacement of the standard with the modified parts is comparable with COSTIS maintenance including exchange of the window foil and the O-rings. For the target capsule itself different designs were developed and tested. Now various target capsules are available, depending on required energy, handling needs and properties of the target material. Different locking systems can be used, from “click” capsules to screwable systems. Additionally the tightness of the target capsule can be achieved by placement of on O-ring between the lid and capsule body. Results and Conclusion The wider target body allows the capping of the target material. This enables a wide range of applications. One aspect is the nanoparticle research, where radiolabelling is an excellent tool for in situ online investigations. The chosen design of the target capsule allowed the direct activation of TiO2 nanoparticles. Via the nuclear reaction 48Ti(p,n)48V radiolabelled [48V]TiO2 nanoparticles can be obtained. Another example is the use of recoil effects for radiolabelling of nanoparticles. In this case the kinetic energy of the product of the nuclear reaction 7Li(p,n)7Be is used to implant a radioactive tracer in different nanomaterials like Ag0 – nanoparticles and MWCNT (multi wall carbon nano tubes). In general the irradiation of powders and granulates benefits from the modified design that allows the more flexible adaption to experimental needs.