Excitation function of the O-18(p,n)F-18 nuclear reaction from threshold up to 30 MeV

The available experimental data on the most common route for the production of F-18, viz. O-18(P, n)F-18 reaction, obtained both via neutron spectral studies and activation measurements, were critically reviewed. In some ener gy regions the cross section database was found to be rather weak or discre pant. In order to fill the gaps and to clear some of the discrepancies, the excitation function was remeasured from threshold up to 30 MeV using diffe rent solid and gas targets containing highly enriched O-18. For this purpos e a van de Graaff machine (E-p < 4 MeV) and several cyclotrons (E-p = 4-30 MeV) were utilized. The new experimental data help to prepare a recommended data set. At E-p = 14 MeV the integral yield of 18F calculated from the ne w excitation curve is slightly higher than that from the hitherto accepted data set; at E-p > 14 MeV the yields reported here are new.