Stacked Target Irradiations and Radiochemical Separations for Simultaneous Production of Short-Lived Ni and Ir Isotopes

A method was developed for simultaneous production of neutron-deficient Ni and Ir isotopes by irradiation of stacked targets with a 50.5 MeV proton beam, followed by radiochemical separations to remove excess target material. The target, irradiation configuration, and post-irradiation radiochemical separations were developed and tested in a proof-of-principle irradiation. Radiochemical yields and purity of the products are discussed. The stacked target method, developed herein, can be used to produce other isotope pairs with appropriate beam tailoring.