Excitation Functions of Deuteron Induced Nuclear Reactions on Vanadium with Special Reference to the Production of ⁴³K: Systematics of (d, xn) Reaction Cross Sections Relevant to the Formation of Highly Neutron Deficient Radioisotopes

Abstract

Excitation functions were measured by the stacked-foil technique for the formation of 4 »V, 4, Sc, 41 Sc, 4sm+ «Sc, 44m+ *Sc, 47 Ca, 43 K, 41 Κ and 4 'Ar in the interactions of deuterons with natural vanadium up to Ej = 90 MeV. The theoretically expected thick target yield of the medically important radioisotope 43 Κ via the 51 V(d, 2apn) 43 K process over the optimum energy range of Ej = 55" 45 MeV amounts to 16 ßd/ßAh with a contamination level of < 10% 42 K. Some trends in the (d, xn) reaction cross sections were analysed. The relevance of those systematics to the formation of highly neutron deficient radioisotopes is discussed.