Evaluation of nuclear reaction cross section data of proton and deuteron induced reactions on 75As, with particular emphasis on the production of 73Se

Abstract

Abstract 75Se (T1/2 = 120 d), 73gSe (T1/2 = 7.1 h) and 72Se (T1/2 = 8.4 d) are important radioisotopes of selenium, being used in tracer studies, PET investigations and as a generator parent, respectively. Cross section data for the formation of those radionuclides in proton and deuteron induced reactions on 75As were critically analyzed up to about 70 MeV. A well-developed evaluation methodology was applied to generate the statistically fitted cross sections, based on the critically analyzed literature experimental data and the theoretical cross section values of three nuclear model codes ALICE-IPPE, TAYLS 1.9, and EMPIRE 3.2. Using the fitted cross sections the integral yield of each radionuclide was calculated. For the estimation of impurities, the integral yield of each radionuclide was compared with the yields of the other two radionuclides over a given energy region, and therefrom the energy range was suggested for the high purity production of each of the radionuclides 75Se, 73Se and 72Se. For production of the very important non-standard positron emitter 73Se via the 75As(p,3n)73Se reaction, the optimum energy range was deduced to be E p = 40 → 30 MeV, with a thick target yield of 1441 MBq/μAh and the 72,75Se impurity level of <0.1%.