Activation cross sections of longer-lived radionuclides produced in germanium by alpha particle irradiation

The cross sections of alpha particles induced nuclear reactions on natural germanium were investigated by using the standard stacked foil target technique, the activation method and high resolution gamma spectrometry. Targets with thickness of about 1 μm were prepared from natural Ge by vacuum evaporation onto 25 μm thick polyimide (Kapton) backing foils. Stacks were composed of Kapton-Ge-Ge-Kapton sandwich target foils and additional titanium monitor foils with nominal thickness of 11 μm to monitor the beam parameters using the natTi(α,x)51Cr reaction. The irradiations were done with Eα = 20.7 and Eα = 51.25 MeV, Iα = 50 nA alpha particle beams for about 1 h. Direct or cumulative activation cross sections were determined for production of the 72,73,75Se, 71,72,74,76,78As, and 69Ge radionuclides. The obtained experimental cross sections were compared to the results of theoretical calculations taken from the TENDL data library based on the TALYS computer code. A comparison was made with available experimental data measured earlier. Thick target yields were deduced from the experimental cross sections and compared with the data published before.