Excitation functions of proton induced reactions on 68 Zn from threshold up to 71 MeV , with specific reference to the production of 67

The excitation function of the Zn(p, 2p)Cu reaction was measured radiochemically up to a proton energy of 71 MeV to obtain accurate data for production of the therapy related β−-emitting radioisotope Cu (T1/2 = 61.9 h). Investigations were also made on the (p, 2n) and (p, 3n) reactions on Zn. The experimental cross sections of the Zn(p, 2p)Cu, Zn(p, 2n)Ga and Zn(p, 3n)Ga reactions were compared with published data and with theoretical predictions based on the hybrid-precompound model ALICEIPPE. Thick target yields of Cu, Ga (T1/2 = 78.3 h) and Ga (T1/2 = 9.4 h) were calculated. Production of Cu is feasible only at proton energies above 50 MeV. For the target thickness Ep = 70 → 50 MeV, the yield of Cu amounts to 16.9 MBq/μA·h.