Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe Gmbh

European Community (Ec)

Hermann Schweickert

Christos Apostolidis

Lothar Koch

Roger Molinet

Jacques Van Geel

Willem Janssens

John McGinley

Volker Bechtold

Josef M&ouml;llenbeck

Michel Ougier

This invention refers to a method for producing Actinium-225, comprising the steps of preparing a target (,) containing Radium-226, of irradiating this target with protons in a cyclotron and of chemically separating Actinium from the irradiated target material thereafter. According to the invention the proton energy in the cyclotron is adjusted such that the energy incident on the Ra-226 is between 10 and 20 MeV, preferably between 9 14 and 17 MeV. By this means the yield of production of the desired isotope Ac-225 is enhanced with respect to other radioisotopes.

Method for producing Ac-225 by irradiation of Ra-226 with protons

A gas target device in which a gaseous target is bombarded with charged particles by means of a charged particle accelerator and radioisotopes are produced in a target chamber receiving the gaseous target a vacuum chamber is disposed in front of the gas target device so as to provide safety volume with gas-tight metal foils disposed at both ends thereof which metal foils however are permeable to the charged particles but provide a gas-tight seal with respect to the target chamber of the gas target device and the vacuum system of the accelerator. The metal foils are held by flanges disposed between the housing which are movable relative to one another to permit removal and replacement of the metal foils associated with the flange plates.

Gas target device

Growing community of inventors

Karlsruhe, Germany

Hermann Schweickert