A Heavy-Ion Production Channel Of Tb-149 Via Cu-63 Bombardment Of Y-89

The radionuclide Tb-149 (t(1/2) = 4.1 h) is a potential theranostic isotope which can simultaneously be used for targeted-alpha-particle therapy and positron-emission tomography. Feasibility experiments were performed to test a near-symmetric heavy-ion reaction of Cu-63 bombardment on monoisotopic Y-89. The indirect reaction was studied to avoid isomer production. Offline gamma spectroscopy was used to quantify thick-target physical yields and experimental results show modest agreement to the fusion-evaporation code PACE4. A near-symmetric fission yield was also observed.