Production cross sections of niobium and tantalum isotopes in proton-induced reactions on natZr and natHf up to 14Â MeV

Production cross sections of Nb and Ta isotopes in the proton-induced reactions on natZr and natHf, respectively, were measured up to 14 MeV using a stacked-foil technique. The observed nuclides in the natZr(p,x) reactions were 90g,91m,92m,95m,95g,96Nb, 95Zr, and 87g,88Y. In the natHf(p,x) reactions, 175,176,177,178,179Ta and 175Hf were observed. The obtained cross sections for each nuclide were compared with the previously reported data and with the theoretical cross sections calculated by the TALYS-1.4 code. Thick-target yields of the observed nuclides were deduced from the measured production cross sections.