A Theoretical Study of the Possibility of Obtaining the Radioisotope 13N for Medical Applications Using Dense Plasma Focus Device

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study the possibility of obtaining the short-lived radioisotope 13N by colliding with a deuterium ion beam emitted by an NX2 dense plasma focus device with a graphite target, as a technique alternative to the traditional technique for getting short-lived radioisotope (SLR) accelerators. Lee code was used to study the properties of the plasma pinch, which is the source of deuterium ion beams. Then, a function of distributing the beam energy and stopping power was found within the graphite using SRIM program. The reaction cross-section was also found from an EXFOR database and the radiative yield of the reaction was calculated. The radioactivity of 13N was calculated and found to be equal to A = 4.14×103 Bq. The effect of the change in deuterium gas pressure on the radioactivity was studied and it was found that the best value for the pressure is 3 Torr, where the number of deuterium ions is the greatest amounting to 3.12×1011 ions and thus the radioactivity increased to 5.616 ×103 Bq. The effects of repetition rate of the studied dense plasma focus device and the exposure time of the graphite target to deuterium ions were studied. The radioactivity was calculated at repetition rates (1,5,10,16 ) Hz and exposure times (30,60,600) sec., where we noticed an increase in the value of radioactivity at a repetition rate of 16 Hz and an exposure time of 600 sec., reaching to 28791 × 103 Bq. To obtain a radioactivity value for 13N suitable for use in PET technique, the radioactivity value was calculated at high repetition rates (50,100,500) Hz and exposure times (30,60,600) sec. We obtained the value of radioactivity 527 ×106 Bq at a repetition rate of 500 Hz and an exposure time of 300 sec. and this value is suitable for use in PET technique. However, there are technical difficulties in the studied dense plasma focus device to obtain a high repetition rate of this value. The radioactivity of 13N was calculated at very high times of exposure of the graphite target to deuterium ions (1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000) sec. at the repetition rates of the device studied. The highest radioactivity value obtained was 55.79 ×106 Bq at an exposure time of 3000 sec. and this value is less than the required value for the required use in PET technique. Keywords: Dense plasma focus device NX2, Lee code, Radioactivity.