Activation cross sections of proton induced nuclear reactions on natural hafnium

Abstract

In a systematic study of light charged particle induced nuclear reactions we investigated the excitation functions of proton induced reactions on natural hafnium targets. Experimental excitation functions of proton induced reactions up to 36 MeV on high purity natural hafnium were determined using the stacked foil activation technique. High resolution off-line gamma-ray spectrometry was applied to assess the activity of each foil. From the measured activity independent and/or cumulative elemental or isotopic cross section data for production of Ta, Hf and Lu radioisotopes were determined. The experimental data were compared to the data published earlier by other authors and to results of TALYS theoretical code taken from TENDL-2010 database. Thick target yields of the investigated radionuclides were calculated from the excitation function that was deduced as an analytical fit to our experimental cross section data points.