Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An irradiation target for the production of radioisotopes, comprising:at least one plate defining a central opening; andan elongated central member passing through the central opening of the at least one plate so that the at least one plate is retained thereon, the elongated central member including an annular groove formed in an outer surface of a middle portion of the elongated central member so that the elongated central member is configured to break at the annular groove into a first portion and a second portion when a sufficient force is applied transversely to the elongated central member,wherein the at least one plate and the elongated central member are both formed of materials that produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) by way of neutron capture. 2. The irradiation target of claim 1, wherein:the at least one plate further comprises a plurality of plates, each central opening of each plate being a circular aperture, andthe elongated central member is a cylindrical central tube, the cylindrical tube extending through the plurality of plates. 3. The irradiation target of claim 2, wherein the central tube has a first end and a second end that each extend axially outwardly beyond a respective end of the plurality of plates, wherein the first end and the second end each have an outer diameter that is greater than a diameter of the central openings of the plurality of plates. 4. The irradiation target of claim 3, wherein each plate is an annular disk and the plurality of annular disks and the central tube are formed from molybdenum-98 (Mo-98). 5. The irradiation target of claim 4, wherein each annular disk has a thickness in an axial direction that is parallel to a longitudinal center axis of the central tube of approximately 0.005 inches. 6. The irradiation target of claim 5, wherein each annular disk has an outer diameter of approximately 0.50 inches. 7. An irradiation target for the production of radioisotopes, comprising:at least one plate defining a central opening; andan elongated central tube passing through the central opening of the at least one plate so that the at least one plate is retained thereon, the central tube including a continuous annular groove formed in an outer surface of a middle portion of the elongated central tube so that the elongated central tube is configured to break at the annular groove when a sufficient force is applied transversely to the elongated central tube,wherein the at least one plate and the elongated central tube are both formed of materials that produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) by way of neutron capture. 8. The irradiation target of claim 7, wherein:the at least one plate further comprises a plurality of plates, andthe elongated central tube extends through the plurality of plates. 9. The irradiation target of claim 8, wherein the elongated central tube is cylindrical. 10. The irradiation target of claim 8, wherein the central tube has a first end and a second end that each extend axially outwardly beyond a respective end of the plurality of plates, wherein the first end and the second end each have an outer diameter that is greater than a diameter of the central openings of the plurality of plates. 11. The irradiation target of claim 9, wherein each plate is an annular disk and the plurality of annular disks and the central tube are formed from molybdenum-98 (Mo-98). 12. The irradiation target of claim 11, wherein each annular disk has a thickness in an axial direction that is parallel to a longitudinal center axis of the central tube of approximately 0.005 inches. 13. The irradiation target of claim 11, wherein each annular disk has an outer diameter of approximately 0.50 inches.