Method and device for producing two different radioactive isotopes

A method for making a first radioactive isotope and a second radioactive isotope with the aid of an accelerated particle beam, comprising:

• directing the accelerated particle beam onto a first multi-layer stack of a first parent material and making the first radioactive isotope from the first stack of the first parent material by a first nuclear reaction, which is induced by an interaction between the accelerated particle beam and the first stack of the first parent material,
• directing the accelerated particle beam onto a second multi-layer stack of a second parent material and making the second radioactive isotope from the second stack of the second parent material by a second nuclear reaction, which is induced by an interaction between the accelerated particle beam and the second stack of the second parent material,
• wherein an effective cross section for inducing the first nuclear reaction by the interaction between the particle beam and the first stack of the first parent material has a first peak at a first particle energy, and wherein an effective cross section for inducing the second nuclear reaction by the interaction between the particle beam and the second stack of the second parent material has a second peak at a second particle energy, which is lower than the first particle energy, and
• wherein the first stack of the first parent material and the second stack of the second parent material are arranged in series and physically spaced apart from each other along a beam path of the particle beam in such a way that the accelerated particle beam first passes through the first stack of the first parent material, as a result of which the first nuclear reaction is induced, the particle beam loses energy as a result thereof and subsequently irradiates the second stack of the second parent material, as a result of which the second nuclear reaction is induced, and
• wherein a thickness of the first stack of the first parent material is selected such that when the particle beam penetrates the first stack of the first parent material the particle beam is decelerated to a particle energy that lies in a predefined region for inducing a nuclear reaction, which makes the second radioactive isotope, upon the interaction between the decelerated particle beam and the second stack of the second parent material.