Student Research with 400keV Beams: 13N Radioisotope Production Target Development

The AN400 Van de Graaff accelerator at the Minnesota State University, Mankato, Applied Nuclear Science Lab has demonstrated utility as an accessible and versatile platform for student research. Despite the limits of low energy, the research team successfully developed projects with applications to the wider radioisotope production community. A target system has been developed for producing and extracting 13N by the 12C(d,n)13N reaction below 400keV. The system is both reusable and robust, with future applications to higher energy machines producing this important radioisotope for physiological imaging studies with Positron Emission Tomography. Up to 36(±1)% of the 13N was extracted from the graphite matrix when 35 A current was externally applied to the graphite target while simultaneously flushing the target chamber with CO2 gas.