Laser generation of proton beams for the production of short- lived positron emitting radioisotopes

Spencer, I. et al. (2001) Laser generation of proton beams for the production of short- lived positron emitting radioisotopes. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 183(3-4), 449 -458. (doi: 10.1016/S0168-583X(01)00771-6)

Abstract

Protons of energies up to 37 MeV have been generated when ultra-intense lasers (up to 10(20) W cm(-2)) interact with hydrogen containing solid targets. These protons can be used to induce nuclear reactions in secondary targets to produce P- emitting nuclei of relevance to the nuclear medicine community, namely C-11 and N-13 via (p, n) and (p, alpha) reactions. Activities of the order of 200 kBq have been measured from a single laser pulse interacting with a thin solid target. The possibility of using ultra-intense lasers to produce commercial amounts of short-lived positron emitting sources for positron emission tomography (PET) is discussed.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Singhal, Dr Ravi and Ledingham, Professor Kenneth
• Authors: Spencer, I., Ledingham, K.W.D., Singhal, R.P., McCanny, T., McKenna, P., Clark, E.L., Krushelnick, K., Zepf, M., Beg, F.N., Tatarakis, M., Dangor, A.E., Norreys, P.A., Clarke, R.J., Allott, R.M., and Ross, I.N.
• Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Journal Name: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
• ISSN: 0168-583X