Measurements and analysis of 178m2Hf production cross sections under natTa and natW irradiation by protons with 0.04–2.6 GeV energies

Abstract This paper presents the results of experimental determination and computational simulation of the independent cross sections of 178m2 Hf production in nat Ta and nat W thin targets irradiated by mono-energetic proton beams in the energy range from ∼ 0.04 up to 2.6 GeV. The cross sections were determined using the γ -spectrometry technique without chemical separation of irradiated samples. The obtained experimental results were compared with the results of simulations based on the modified CEM03.03-ext intranuclear cascade model, which allows to analyze both the cross sections of residual nuclei production and the probabilities of long-lived isomeric states formation. Verification of the isomeric yield calculation model was demonstrated based on experimental data on high-spin isomer production cross sections in 208 Pb target irradiated by protons.