Production cross section of At radionuclides from $^{7}$Li+$^{\textrm{nat}}$Pb and $^{9}$Be+$^{\textrm{nat}}$Tl reactions

TL;DR

This study experimentally measures the production cross sections of astatine radionuclides from heavy ion reactions on lead and thallium, comparing results with theoretical models and providing new data for these nuclear processes.

Contribution

First experimental investigation of astatine radionuclide production from $^{9}$Be+$^{ extrm{nat}}$Tl and $^{7}$Li+$^{ extrm{nat}}$Pb reactions, with measured cross sections and comparison to theoretical models.

Findings

Measured cross sections are lower than theoretical predictions.

Excitation functions explained by compound nuclear reaction models.

First experimental data for these specific heavy ion induced reactions.

Abstract

Earlier we reported theoretical studies on the probable production of astatine radionuclides from $^{6,7}$Li and $^{9}$Be-induced reactions on natural lead and thalliun targets, respectively. For the first time, in this report, production of astatine radionuclides has been investigated experimentally with two heavy ion induced reactions: $^{9}$Be+$^{\textrm{nat}}$Tl and $^{7}$Li+$^{\textrm{nat}}$Pb. Formation cross sections of the evaporation residues, $^{207,208,209,210}$At, produced in (HI, xn) channel, have been measured by the stacked-foil technique followed by the off-line $\gamma$-spectrometry at the low incident energies ($<$50 MeV). Measured excitation functions have been explained in terms of compound nuclear reaction mechanism using Weisskopf-Ewing and Hauser-Feshbach model. Absolute cross section values are lower than the respective theoretical predictions.