PRODUCTION OF OXYGEN 15 USING A RELATIVELY LOW ENERGY PARTICLE ACCELERATOR WITH A VACUUM GRADIENT SYSTEM AS A WINDOW

Abstract

A vacuum gradient system has been developed which can replace the conventional window of a particle accelerator, allowing the use of relatively low energy deuterons to bombard gaseous targets. This system consists of 4 communicating chambers which can be evacuated to produce a high vacuum at the accelerator end with a poor vacuum at the level of the gaseous target. Using this device with a 400 kev. Van de Graaff generator and a nitrogen target, a significant quantity of oxygen 15 was produced. With relatively minor modifications to the system, clinically useful quantities of the isotope can be obtained.