Applications of the Krakow U-120 cyclotron, which operated in the years 1958-1995, involved obtaining carrier-free radionuclides, e.g. ⁶⁷Ga, ⁸⁸Y, ¹¹¹In, ¹²³I, ¹³⁹Ce, ¹⁶⁹Yb and ²¹¹At from Zn, SrCl₂, Ag or CdO, TeO₂, La₂O₃, Tm₂O₃ and Bi₂O₃ targets, respectively. Wet and dry methods of separating these radionuclides from irradiated targets were elaborated by our Radiochemistry Groups.
The newly-installed AIC-144 cyclotron will offer beam energies and intensities higher than the old one, but production of radionuclides will be restricted to the internal beam. Users’ requirements for the internal target assembly were summarized in 1996 and by the end of 1997 a design has been outlined and main mechanical parts of the assembly were purchased.
The assembly will be suitable for irradiating metallic targets deposited electrochemically on a water-cooled support. The pilot experiments will start with obtaining ⁶⁷Ga. Later on, other radionuclides for SPECT or positron studies in medicine and physics will be obtained.