Measurement of excitation functions of the alpha particle-induced nuclear reactions up to 50 MeV on holmium target

Abstract 165 Er is a pure Auger-electron emitter that shows great potential for therapeutic applications in nuclear medicine. Various production methods have been described in the literature, typically involving the irradiation of erbium (Er) and holmium (Ho) targets with charged particles. This paper reports on the study of the indirect production of 165 Er through the 165 Ho(α,4n) 165 Tm reaction. Holmium foils have been irradiated with a 50 MeV alpha beam, and cross sections for producing 165,166,167,168 Tm were determined using the activation method and stacked target technique, from the threshold to the maximum bombarding energy.