Possible solutions for difficult accelerator material and/or target requirements

Abstract Frequently, two of the major obstacles encountered in conducting research that requires enriched isotopes to be fabricated into a particular configuration are, first, finding a reliable source from which the material can be obtained and, second, determining where (or if) the specific sample can be fabricated. In general, the supply of enriched stable and radioisotopic materials, other than those which have medical applications, continues to decrease. These materials are normally very expensive, and the quantity available for sample fabrication necessitates that something other than standard techniques be used to prepare the material in the proper configuration. The concerns detailed above are representative of the problems faced routinely by the international research community. In an effort to alleviate such problems, this paper describes sample fabrication methods that require minimal amounts of starting material and discusses possible sources of materials and/or target fabrication services.