Production of $^{47}$Sc with natural vanadium targets: results of the PASTA project

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 328; no. 3
• Main Authors: Pupillo, Gaia, Mou, Liliana, Boschi, Alessandra, Calzaferri, Simone, Canton, Luciano, Cisternino, Sara, de Dominicis, Lucia, Duatti, Adriano, Fontana, Andrea, Haddad, Ferid, Martini, Petra, Pasquali, Micòl, Skliarova, Hanna, Esposito, Juan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Verlag 2021
• Subjects: Physics; Cyclotron-induced reactions; Nuclear reaction codes; {46}$Sc; Theranostic radionuclides; Proton-induced reactions; {47}$Sc
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-021-07791-z

The goal of PASTA project (acronym for production with accelerator of$^{47}$Sc for theranostic applications) is the determination of excitation functions associated to several nuclear reactions, aimed at yielding the theranostic radionuclide$^{47}$Sc. This work reports the main results obtained by irradiating natural vanadium targets with proton beams up to 70 MeV. Particular care is also given to the co-production of$^{46}$Sc, the only isotopic contaminant with half-life longer than$^{47}$Sc. Experimental results are compared with theoretical studies by means of known nuclear reaction software tools that are publicly available.