Activation cross sections of the 169Tm(d,2n) reaction for production of the therapeutic radionuclide 169Yb

Activation cross sections of deuteron induced nuclear reactions on 169Tm were measured up to 20 MeV by using the stacked-foil technique. Special emphasis was on production of the internal radiotherapy related radionuclide 169Yb. No earlier experimental cross-section data on deuteron induced reactions on 169Tm were found in the literature. The experimental data were compared with the results of the nuclear model codes ALICE-IPPE and EMPIRE-II. The integral yield of the 169Tm(d,2n)169Yb reaction was deduced over the optimum energy range Ed=20→9 MeV. At 3.8 MBq/μA·h the yield is lower than that available from the commonly used 168Yb(n,γ) 169Yb reactor method but on the other hand, it is higher than the yields from the earlier investigated 169Tm(p,n)169Yb and natEr(α,x) 169Yb reactions.