Measurements of activation cross sections and isomeric ratios of natTa(α,xn) 184m,184g,183,182m,182g,181Re reactions up to 40 MeV

Abstract Independent activation cross sections of long-lived 181,182m,182g,183,184m,184g Re radioisotopes and isomeric ratios of 182m,g Re, and 184m,g Re produced from alpha-induced reactions on natural Ta up to 40 MeV were measured using the alpha beam from K130 cyclotron of VECC, Kolkata. Irradiations were performed using the standard stacked foil activation method, and induced activity was assayed offline using HPGe-based high-resolution gamma spectrometry. Experimentally obtained cross sections and isomeric ratios data were compared with the earlier reported literature data and theoretical data from the TENDL-2021 nuclear data library based on the TALYS-2.0 code. Thick target integral yields of these radioisotopes were also calculated using the experimentally measured cross section data and stopping power of natural Ta and compared with available literature data. Present cross section data are found to agree with the literature data within experimental uncertainties for all the radionuclides except 182g Re, where there are significant differences from the previous measurements.