Ponente
Descripción
The unique neutron environment available at IFMIF-DONES offers significant opportunities for life-science and medical applications, including radiobiological research, neutron-based therapies, and the production of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine. In particular, the growing demand for diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides has motivated the exploration of innovative production routes that can complement existing reactor- and accelerator-based facilities [1].
Beyond neutron-induced production pathways, the high-current deuteron accelerator at IFMIF-DONES may also provide access to alternative radioisotope production schemes based on charged-particle reactions. Such an approach could enable the production of emerging and novel medical isotopes while taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the facility. A key technological challenge for the implementation of these deuteron-induced production routes is the development of target systems capable of operating under the extreme thermal loads generated by high-intensity deuteron beams while maintaining structural integrity and reliable performance.
To address this challenge, the University of Granada has developed an innovative high-power target technology specifically conceived for applications intense charged-particle beams. The concept combines enhanced heat-removal capabilities with robust thermo-mechanical design, enabling efficient operation under beam power densities relevant to next-generation accelerator facilities. Such characteristics make this technology particularly attractive for future medical isotope production systems associated with high-current deuteron accelerators.
In this work, we present the first experimental validation of this technology performed within the framework of a collaboration between the University of Granada and the Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie (LPSC, Grenoble, France). Irradiation tests were carried out at the LPSC high-power electron beam facility to assess the thermal dissipation capability and structural robustness of the target under representative operating conditions [2]. Experimental results are compared with Monte Carlo particle transport simulations and thermo-mechanical calculations developed for the target design.
The potential application of this technology to deuteron-induced medical isotope production at IFMIF-DONES is discussed through two representative case studies. The theranostic radionuclide 177Lu, one of the most relevant radioisotopes for targeted radionuclide therapy, along with its SPECT imaging capabilities [3-5], and the emerging therapeutic radionuclide 165Er from natural holmium targets [6,7] is also considered as a complementary example. The results demonstrate the feasibility of advanced high-power target concepts for future medical isotope production systems and highlight a promising pathway to expand the scientific and societal impact of IFMIF-DONES beyond its primary fusion mission.