Coherent photonuclear reactions for isotope transmutation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method called coherent photonuclear isotope transmutation (CPIT) that uses medium energy photons generated by laser backscattering to produce specific radioactive isotopes efficiently for various scientific and medical applications.

Contribution

The paper presents a new CPIT technique utilizing medium energy photons from laser backscattering off GeV electrons, enabling efficient and selective isotope transmutation with high cross sections.

Findings

High cross sections of 0.2 - 0.6 b for photonuclear reactions.

Efficient use of scattered photons and re-use of electrons in the storage ring.

Potential applications in nuclear science, molecular biology, and nuclear medicine.

Abstract

Coherent photonuclear isotope transmutation (CPIT) produces exclusively radioactive isotopes (RIs) by coherent photonuclear reactions via E1 giant resonances. Photons to be used are medium energy photons produced by laser photons backscattered off GeV electrons. The cross sections are as large as 0.2 - 0.6 b, being independent of individual nuclides. A large fraction of photons is effectively used for the photonuclear reactions, while the scattered GeV electrons remain in the storage ring to be re-used. CPIT with medium energy photons provides specific/desired RIs with the high rate and the high density for nuclear science, molecular biology and for nuclear medicines.