Excitation functions of proton induced reactions on68Zn from threshold up to 71 MeV, with specific reference to the production of67Cu

Abstract

SummaryThe excitation function of the68Zn(p, 2p)67Cu reaction was measured radiochemically up to a proton energy of 71 MeV to obtain accurate data for production of the therapy related β−-emitting radioisotope67Cu (T1/2= 61.9 h). Investigations were also made on the (p, 2n) and (p, 3n) reactions on68Zn. The experimental cross sections of the68Zn(p, 2p)67Cu,68Zn(p, 2n)67Ga and68Zn(p, 3n)66Ga reactions were compared with published data and with theoretical predictions based on the hybrid-precompound model ALICE-IPPE. Thick target yields of67Cu,67Ga (T1/2= 78.3 h) and66Ga (T1/2= 9.4 h) were calculated. Production of67Cu is feasible only at proton energies above 50 MeV. For the target thicknessEp= 70 → 50 MeV, the yield of67Cu amounts to 16.9 MBq/µA·h.