Excitation Function of the nat-Ta(p,x)178m2-Hf Reaction

178m2-Hf is an extremely interesting isomeric state due to its potential energy capacity level. One possible way to obtain it is by irradiation of a nat-Ta sample with a high-current proton accelerator. Up to now, there was no information in the international experimental nuclear data base (EXFOR) for this reaction. Irradiations of nat-Ta samples performed for other purposes provide an opportunity to address this question. This paper presents the 172m2-Hf independent production cross-sections determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. The nat-Ta(p,x)172m2-Hf excitation function is studied in the 20-3500 MeV energy range. Comparisons with results by several nuclear models (ISABEL, Bertini, INCL4.5+ABLA07, PHITS, CASCADE07, and CEM03.02) used as event-generators in modern transport codes are also reported. However, since such models are generally not able to separately predict ground and isomeric states of reaction products, only 178-Hf independent and cumulative cross-section data are compared.