Excitation Functions for Radioactive Nuclides Produced by Deuteron-Induced Reactions in Iron

Abstract

Cross sections were measured for the production of radioactive nuclides by deuteron-induced reactions in natural iron at bombarding energies below 40 MeV. Deuteron beams of the Oak Ridge isochronous cyclotron were used to bombard stacked iron foils. $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ spectra of individual foils were measured with a Ge(Li) spectrometer. Radioactivities with half-lives greater than 20 min were measured. Excitation functions were obtained for $^{55}\mathrm{Co}$, $^{56}\mathrm{Co}$, $^{57}\mathrm{Co}$, $^{58}\mathrm{Co}$, $^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$, $^{54}\mathrm{Mn}$, $^{54}\mathrm{Mn}^{m}$, and $^{51}\mathrm{Cr}$. Cross sections predicted by a compound-nucleus evaporation theory are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.