Graphite target preparation for radiocarbon dating by accelerator mass spectrometry

Abstract Accelerator mass spectrometry has greatly extended the scope of radiocarbon dating by reducing the required sample size. This paper describes a quick and reliable method for producing graphite sample targets in the size range 0.1–10 mg. The method produces the targets by directly depositing the graphite into a target holder thus reducing the size limit and risk of contamination experienced in other target preparation procedures.