Method of producing molybdenum-99
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsLawrence M. Lidsky, Richard Lanza
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Abstract
An apparatus, and method, are disclosed for producing a high specific activity of a radioisotope in a single increment of target material, or sequentially within in-series increments of target material, by exposing a targeted isotope in the target material to a high energy photon beam to isotopically convert the targeted isotope. In particular, this invention is used to produce a high specific activity of Mo.sup.99, of at least 1.0 Ci/gm or preferably at least about 10.0 Ci/gm, from Mo.sup.100.
Claims26
A method of producing molybdenum-99 comprising:
- providing a target comprising molybdenum-100;
- and
- directing a photon beam onto the target to isotopically convert at least a portion of the molybdenum-100 of the target to molybdenum-99 having specific activity of at least 1.0 curies/gram, the photon beam having intensity of at least 50 microamps/cm.sup.2 and photons of energy of at least 8 MeV.
A composition comprising molybdenum-99, wherein the molybdenum-99 has a specific activity of at least about 1.0 curie/gram, produced by exposing molybdenum-100 to a photon beam.
A method for producing molybdenum-99 comprising:
- providing a target having a thickness of about 7.5 centimeters, or less, and comprising molybdenum-100;
- and
- generating a photon beam by impinging an electron beam on a tungsten converter with an electron beam, electron beam power density within the converter being about 35,000 watts/cm.sup.3 ;
- and
- impinging the photon beam on the target to isotopically convert at least a portion of the molybdenum-100 of the target to molybdenum-99.
A method of producing molybdenum-99 comprising:
- providing a target comprising molybdenum-100;
- and
- connecting a photon beam having an intensity of at least 50 microamps/cm.sup.2 onto the target to isotopically convert at least a portion of the molybdenum-100 of the target to molybdenum-99.
A method of producing molybdenum-99 comprising:
- providing a target comprising molybdenum-100;
- and
- directing a photon beam onto the target to isotopically convert at least a portion of the molybdenum-100 of the target to molybdenum-99, where f.multidot.R.gtoreq.2.2.times.10.sup.-8 sec.sup.-1, f is the isotopic function of molybdenum-100 in the molybdenum target, and R is the photon path length per unit volume per unit energy, weighted by the photoneutron cross-section integrated over energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.