High Power Laser Science and Engineering, Volume. , Issue , ()
Generation of radioisotopes for medical applications using high-repetition, high-intensity lasers [Early Posting]
We used the PW, high repetition laser facility Vega3 at CLPU in Salamanca, with the goal of studying the generation of radioisotopes using laser-driven proton beams. Various type of targets have been irradiated, including in particular several targets containing boron to generate -particles through the hydrogen-boron fusion reaction, to generate radioisotopes induced by -particles. We have successfully identified -ray lines from several radioisotopes created by irradiation using laser-generated particles or protons including 43Sc, 44Sc, 48Sc, 7Be, 11C, and 18F. We also show the production of ≈ 106 radioisotopes 11C and 44Sc per laser shot. This result can open the way to developing laser-driven radiation sources of radioisotopes for medical applications.