Abstract
The production of Thallium-201 via the 203 Tl(p,3n) 201 Pb→ 201 Tl process in the compact cyclotron TR30/15 of the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) was evaluated based on excitation functions. This study involves a selection of a series of parameters including proton energy, target thickness, and irradiation time that will maximize the yield of the product and minimize the radioactive impurities. The excitation functions of the 203 Tl(p,xn)Pb reactions have been calculated by using the ALICE-91 and FLUKA codes, respectively. Their results were compared with that recommended in the IAEA-TECDOC-1211 report. The discrepancies among them were identified and the resulting effects on the integral yields were discussed. Based on the recommended nuclear data, a user-friendly program has been developed to estimate the activities of the product and impurities during the production process of 201 Tl in INER's compact cyclotron (INERCC). This helps in understanding the effects of various parameters selected in the production process. The results reveal that the current status of the production process of 201 Tl in INERCC appears to be quite optimal and the production yield is close to its theoretical prediction. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.