Production of $^{47}$Sc with natural vanadium targets: results of the PASTA project

International audienceThe goal of PASTA project (acronym for production with accelerator of$^{47}$Sc for theranostic applications) is the determination of excitation functions associated to several nuclear reactions, aimed at yielding the theranostic radionuclide$^{47}$Sc. This work reports the main results obtained by irradiating natural vanadium targets with proton beams up to 70 MeV. Particular care is also given to the co-production of$^{46}$Sc, the only isotopic contaminant with half-life longer than$^{47}$Sc. Experimental results are compared with theoretical studies by means of known nuclear reaction software tools that are publicly available