Excitation Function of ²⁷Al+ ²⁰Ne Reaction upto 166 MeV

¹ Department of Basic Science and Humanities, Institute of Engineering and Management, School of UEM, Kolkata 700091, India
² Department of Chemistry, Diamond Harbour Women’s University, Diamond Harbour Road, Sarisha, South 24 Paraganas 743368, India

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 29 May 2026

Abstract

Ultrapure aluminium foils are commonly used behind targets either as a degrader foil or for target-backing in nuclear physics experiments. Interaction of projectile with the aluminium foil is most likely to interfere with the radioisotopes produced by target-projectile interaction. In this study, eight aluminium foils were irradiated with ²⁰Ne beam upto 166 MeV and the production cross section of the produced radioisotopes such as ^43,44Sc, ⁴¹Ar, ^34m,38Cl, etc., were measured. This experiment marked an alternate and cost-effective production route for the clinically important scandium radioisotopes. No-carrier-added ^43,44Sc radioisotopes were selectively separated from bulk Al target and co-produced ²⁴Na by liquidliquid extraction technique using Di-2-(ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP)/HCl combination with a high separation factor >12,000.