Elemental analysis of different samples using nuclear analytical techniques and investigation of some nuclear reaction parameters using low energy cyclotron

In this thesis, proton-induced nuclear reactions on natural platinum, silver, and selenium targets were studied to optimize the physical and technical parameters affecting the production of some radioisotopes using low energy cyclotron and to test the power of nuclear reaction model codes in predicting nuclear reactions. The reaction cross-sections of the studied reactions were determined experimentally and validated using nuclear model calculations. From the obtained data the integral yields of all produced radionuclides were calculated and the impurity level was determined. The thesis contains three chapters; Chapter 1 presents a short overview on products and applications of radioactivity, the nuclear reaction mechanisms, the reactions cross sections, the stopping power, theoretical models calculation such as ALICE-IPPE, TENDLE2017,(nuclear data library provided by TALYS nuclear model code system), EMPIRE 3.2.2 and the radioisotope yield followed by presenting the aim, the procedures of the work and the literature review. Chapter 2 Presents the devices and techniques included in the experimental work. The MGC-20 cyclotron and its parts, the stacked-foil technique, and the HPGe detectors, and the γ-ray spectrometer used for radioactivity measurements. Chapter 3 presents the experimental results of the investigated reactions along with a comparison with the previously reported data and the theoretical calculations. In this frame, we studied the following reactions.1) Proton-induced nuclear reactions on high purity natural platinum (Pt) foils were studied. The reactions cross-section was calculated using the standard stacked foil technique. High purity ^natPt foils (99.9%) of thickness 25 Micro Sign m were arranged in the stack which acted as a degrader. 2) Proton-induced nuclear reactions on natural silver (Ag). The excitation function of the investigated reaction was measured using the standard stacked foil technique. A high purity natural Ag foil (99.99%) of thickness 10 Micro Sign m were used. 3) Proton-induced nuclear reactions on natural selenium (Se) of purity (99.5%) were used for preparing the targets by sedimentation technique. The formation cross-sections of the radioisotopes ⁷⁶Br,⁷⁷Br,⁸²Br are presented as a function of proton energy. 4) The current was measured using natural copper foils of thickness 10 Micro Sign m and purity (99.99%) as a monitor. The present experimental data were compared with the previously available literature data. Theoretical calculations using the ALICE-IPPE and EMPIRE-3.2.2 codes were performed in addition to the data of TENDL (2017) and compared with the experimental results. a satisfactory agreement is observed for most cases between theoretical and our experimental data. The integral yields for the production of Br radioisotopes were calculated to optimize the production conditions of these important radioisotopes. 5) Proton Activation Analysis for four-coin samples from different sources were studied using (MGC-20 Cyclotron) by applying activation technique. The irradiation conditions are chosen according to the type of each coin. The irradiated coins were measured using a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer. The spectra were analyzed only qualitatively due to the absence of suitable standards. Several measurements for each sample were taken to confirm the analysis results.