Activation cross-sections of deuteron induced nuclear reactions on neodymium up to 50 MeV

TL;DR

This study measures activation cross sections of deuteron-induced reactions on neodymium up to 50 MeV, providing new data for medical isotope production and testing theoretical models.

Contribution

First measurement of deuteron activation cross sections on neodymium for producing therapeutic radionuclides, comparing experimental data with theoretical models.

Findings

Experimental excitation functions obtained for multiple radionuclides.

Theoretical models showed varying degrees of agreement with experimental data.

Data useful for medical isotope production and nuclear reaction modeling.

Abstract

In the frame of a systematic study of activation cross sections of deuteron induced nuclear reactions on rare earths, the reactions on neodymium for production of therapeutic radionuclides were measured for the first time. The excitation functions of the natNd(d,x) 151,150,149,148m,148g,146,144,143Pm, 149,147,139mNd, 142Pr and 139gCe nuclear reactions were assessed by using the stacked foil activation technique and high resolution $\gamma@-spectrometry. The experimental excitation functions were compared to the theoretical predictions calculated with the modified model codes ALICE-IPPE-D and EMPIRE-II-D and with the data in the TENDL-2012 library based on latest version of the TALYS code. The application of the data in the field of medical isotope production and nuclear reaction theory is discussed.