Measurement of activation cross sections of alpha particle induced reactions on iridium up to an energy of 50 MeV.

Cross sections of alpha particle induced nuclear reactions on iridium were investigated using a 51.2-MeV alpha particle beam. The standard stacked-foil target technique and the activation method were applied. The activity of the reaction products was assessed without chemical separation using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. Excitation functions for production of gold, platinum and iridium isotopes (196m2 Au, 196m,g Au, 195m,g Au, 194 Au, 193 m,g Au, 192 Au, 191m,g Au, 191 Pt, 195m Pt, 194g Ir, 194m Ir, 192g Ir, 190g Ir and 189 Ir) were determined and compared with available earlier measured experimental data and results of theoretical calculations using TALYS code system. Cross section data were reported for the first time for the nat Ir(α,x)196m2 Au, nat Ir(α,x)196m,g Au, nat Ir(α,x)191 Pt, nat Ir(α,x)195m Pt, nat Ir(α,x)194g Ir, nat Ir(α,x)194m Ir, nat Ir(α,x)190g Ir and nat Ir(α,x)189 Ir processes. A possible production route for 195m Pt, the potentially important radionuclide in nuclear medicine, is discussed.