The Production of ¹³N Using Beam-Target D-³He Fusion Reactions

The D-³He fusion reaction has been used to produce medical radioisotopes using the University of Wisconsin Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Fusion Device. The high-energy 14.7 MeV proton generated from the reaction can activate materials for isotope production. The traditional IEC setup has been altered to generate medical isotopes using beam-target D-³He fusion. Beam target D-³He reactions in a thin-walled, water-cooled, stainless steel tube were used to create ¹³N, an isotope used in Positron Emission Tomography. At a maximum ion energy of 85 keV, 1.0 nCi of ¹³N was created as a proof of principle experiment. A scaled-up version of this concept may provide for a smaller, less expensive radioisotope generator for future commercial needs.