Radioisotope targets for spallation neutron sources

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:186537

Waters, L; Howe, S; Wilson, W B ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); and others

Molybdenum-99 is the parent isotope for 80% of all nuclear medicine applications in the United States. Currently, the primary production source is Nordion International in Kanata, Ontario, which operates a 25-yr-old reactor. For the past few years, the U.S. Department of Energy has investigated the feasibility of developing a domestic source of {sup 99}Mo as a backup supply to Nordion. Given public concerns about reactor safety as well as funding uncertainties, the production of radioisotopes by accelerators is an attractive option and must not be ignored! Accelerator radioisotope production technology is well developed. Facilities at Los Alamos and Brookhaven have operated for many years, although neutron-rich isotopes such as {sup 99}Mo have so far not been a product. Conceptually, accelerator production of isotopes offers high specific activity and can take advantage of targets other than highly enriched uranium (HEU) because substantial high-energy particle fluences are available. This paper presents studies of {sup 99}Mo production from various targets designed for use with the Los Alamos Mason Physics Facility (LAMPF) proton beam.

• OSTI ID: 186537
• Report Number(s): CONF-950601--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 72; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
LAMPF LINAC
MOLYBDENUM 99
NEUTRON SOURCES
NEUTRON-RICH ISOTOPES
PROTON BEAMS
TARGETS