Study of the excitation function for the deuteron induced reaction on 64Ni(d,2n) for the production of the medical radioisotope 64Cu

The production of 64Cu, a radioisotope of considerable interest for the application in nuclear medicine for PET imaging and radioimmunotherapy, was investigated by deuteron bombardment of enriched 64Ni target up to Ed=20.5 MeV. The experimental excitation function for the reaction 64Ni(d,2n)64Cu was measured using the stacked foil irradiation technique followed by HPGe γ-ray analysis at 1346 keV and is compared with earlier literature values. Cross-section data for the 64Ni(d,p)65Ni reaction are determined for the first time. Thick target yields are derived and compared with results of other production routes.