Experimental study of excitation functions for the deuteron induced reactions 64Zn(d,2p)64Cu and 64Zn(d,alphan)61Cu using the stacked-foil technique.

There is considerable, and growing, interest in the 64Cu radioisotope for application in Nuclear Medicine for PET imaging and targeted radiotherapy of tumours. We are investigating the cyclotron production of this isotope by way of deuteron bombardment of enriched 64Zn target material. In this study, experimental excitation functions for both the 64Zn(d,2p)64Cu and 64Zn(d,alphan)61Cu reactions up to 18.2 MeV deuteron energy have been measured using the stacked-foil technique. The deuteron energies in the various foils were calculated with the SRIM 2003 code and gamma-ray spectrometry was used to measure the activities of the various radioisotopes produced. Monitor foils were used to determine the deuteron beam current on the target stack. Theoretical excitation functions, calculated both with the Empire II code and with an updated version of the Alice code, were compared with the experimental results and a reasonable agreement was found. The experimental work was performed at the MC40 Cyclotron at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre at Ispra, Italy.

Optimization of production yields, radionuclidic purity and hotcell shielding of SPECT and PET radionuclides produced by proton irradiation in variable energy 30 MeV cyclotrons--Part 67Ga.

Optimization of the production parameters (incident and exit proton energy, thickness of the (68)Zn target layer, decay time to start chemical processing of an irradiated target after the end of bombardment) and of the thickness of the lead shield of the processing hotcell for the cyclotron production of (67)Ga by the (68)Zn(p,2n) threshold reaction are accomplished by powerful divide et impera and binary search algorithms with the Pharmacopoeia radionuclidic purity of the (67)Ga-citrate radiopharmaceutical at a reference time and the locally accepted dose rate level for the controlled area as boundary conditions. Two sets of equations are presented (one associated with the maximum production rate, the other with the use of a minimum target layer thickness) that allow the expression of the optimized production parameters, the radionuclide yields satisfying the Pharmacopoeia requirements at the start of distribution and the necessary shielding as a function of the required activity at the start of distribution and of the maximum allowable beam current on target.

Investigation of activation cross-sections of proton induced nuclear reactions on natTl up to 42MeV: review, new data and evaluation.

Cross-sections of proton induced nuclear reactions on natural thallium have been studied for investigation of the production of the medical important (201)Tl diagnostic radioisotope. The excitation functions of (204m)Pb, (203)Pb, (202m)Pb, (201)Pb, (200)Pb, (199)Pb, (202)Tl (direct, cumulative), (201)Tl (direct, cumulative), (200)Tl(direct), and (203)Hg were measured up to 42MeV proton energy by stacked foil technique and activation method. The experimental data were compared with the critically analyzed experimental data in the literature, with the IAEA recommended data and with the results of model calculations by using the ALICE-IPPE, EMPIRE-II and TALYS codes.

Excitation functions for 7Be, 22,24Na production in Mg and Al by deuteron irradiations up to 50 MeV.

New experimental data for production of (7)Be and (22,24)Na in deuteron irradiation of (nat)Mg and Al up to 50 MeV are presented. The induced activity, measured with HPGe spectroscopy, allows us to determine excitation functions of (nat)Mg(d,x) and (27)Al(d,x) reactions involved in the activation process with reference to (nat)Ti(d,x)(48)V monitor cross sections. A comparison with experimental literature values and results from updated theoretical codes is discussed. Thick target yields were derived from fits to our cross-sections and integrated personnel dose was calculated for different irradiation cycles and exposure scenarios around high power deuteron accelerator facilities.

Excitation function for 7Be production in carbon by deuteron irradiations up to 50 MeV.

In order to check and complement available experimental data for production of (7)Be in deuteron irradiation of (nat)C, new measurements with incident particle energy up to 50 MeV were performed. The (7)Be content, measured with HPGe spectroscopy, allows determination of the excitation function of the (nat)C(d,x)(7)Be reactions. A comparison with experimental literature values and results from updated theoretical codes (ALICE-D, EMPIRE-D, EAF2007 and TENDL2010 on-line libraries) is discussed. Thick target yields were derived from fits to our cross-sections and integrated personnel dose was calculated for different irradiation cycles and exposure scenarios around the IFMIF facility.

Production of the therapeutic radioisotope (114m)In through the (116)Cd(p,3n)(114m)In reaction.

Excitation curves for reactions induced by proton beams up to 36MeV on highly enriched (116)Cd targets were assessed. The standard stacked foil method, with monitoring of beam parameters over the whole energy region, and high resolution gamma spectrometry were used. We report cross sections for reactions leading to (113m)(,114m,115m,116m1)In and (115)Cd. A comparison with some earlier experimental data and with results of theoretical model codes ALICE-IPPE and EMPIRE are presented. Our previous estimation of use of the (116)Cd(p,3n) reaction for production of (114m)In is confirmed.