A method for optimizing experimental conditions and simulating spectra in the measurement of heavy nuclides in AMS

Abstract The sensitivity of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is often limited by interferences from isobars, isotopes and other nuclides. In AMS measurements of heavy nuclides, where a high molecular fragment background can be present, it can be difficult to discriminate the nuclides of interest from the background particles online. In order to solve this problem, a method for optimizing the experimental conditions and simulating spectra in AMS measurements has been developed. Satisfactory agreement has been obtained between calculated and experimental spectra for 26 Al, 36 Cl, 41 Ca and 99 Tc measured with the HI-13 AMS system at China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE).