[Mitch]

The research group I work in has been interested in making me make Eu₂O₃ films for some time now. I can't go into specifically why the group is interested in it or how we are making the films. But, the overarching goal is to be able to make a thin homogeneous layer of europium oxide and then potentially apply that knowledge to other +3 metals and maybe +4 (hint-hint) too. As with any Lone-Wolf project, there are always major bumps and ditches when you're test driving a new method that the research group has no prior experience with. After attempting this new method several times I could only make very thin layers, layers so thin that I hesitate to call them layers. At any rate, I purposefully made one massively huge layer of Eu₂O₃ on my substrate to verify that the new method actually works and to examine what the surface looks like under extreme fatness. See image below


Europium Desert: Image is on the several millimeters range.

The sample shows a blistered desert like surface. A colleague who was passing by thought it was an aerial photo of Nevada at first glance. The sample is definitely not the homogeneous non-cracked surface I was aiming for, but this was an experiment at extremes after all.

Looking closer at the same sample, but now at the several 10s of micrometers scale, I came across very exotic and organic looking structures, like the one shown below. I've dubbed it my Europium Coral.



Although, my europium coral is the embodiment of everything I don't want (I just want a thin homogeneous layer of Eu₂O₃), it is unexpected and surprising results like this which keeps science fun. Who would of known a layer of europium oxide would look so interesting?

Mitch

[Albert]

The second picture is so beautiful!

[Mitch]

Since you liked it so much, if you click the coral image it'll load the large version of the picture.

[Dan]

very cool mitch

[constant thinker]

Taking pictures of desert looking structures and coral looking structures...
So that's what a graduate student does!

Looks pretty cool though.

[Mitch]

Yup, that is what we do.

[pantone159]

+4 huh...  There isn't enough Rf and so on to make a film right?  But are you trying to use heavy metals to make nice targets?  Or another reason?

[Mitch]

Yeah, the goal is to use the method for Actinide targets.

[pantone159]

I take it you are only working with the insoluble oxides?
And so will not get to see the purty colors (and deal with the exceptional hazards) of solutions of +4 materials?

[Mitch]

I use the soluble ion in solution, the oxide is formed after an additional baking step. The isotopes that will eventually be used are the more radioactive neutron rich isotope for any given Z, so it'll get very interesting.