Abstract
Activation techniques have been used to measure the excitation functions of proton induced nuclear reactions on natural copper from their thresholds up to 27.5 MeV. The beam current was measured using a Faraday cup with secondary electron suppression, and the radioactivity of the products was determined
high-resolution gamma ray spectrometry. The data were compared with the data recommended by the IAEA wherever it was possible. A comparison of the new excitation functions with the theoretical calculations reported in the literature was undertaken to check the order of agreement between them. Good agreement was found for the results of
Zn while the theoretical calculations overestimate the cross sections for
Cu and
Zn. The excitation function for the reaction
Cu(
,
)
Co was measured for the first time during this work. The integral yields of the radionuclides
Zn,
Cu and
Co were calculated.
Zn and
Zn are produced over the whole energy range of 3 to 27.5 MeV and the yield gets saturated above 20 MeV.
Zn,
Cu and
Co are produced at relatively high energies and have integral yield values between those of
Zn and
Zn. The relatively high yield of
Zn is useful for the production of
Zn/
Cu generator system.