CROSS SECTIONS MEASURED BY QUASI-MONOENERGETIC NEUTRONS

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Neutron Activation Analysis

Background:

• Accurate neutron cross-section data is vital for nuclear reactor design, radiation shielding, and nuclear medicine.
• The p+7Li reaction provides a reliable source of quasi-monoenergetic neutrons for experimental studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally determine neutron reaction cross sections for several elements (197Au, 209Bi, 59Co, natFe, 169Tm).
• To evaluate neutron energies in the 18-34 MeV range, relevant for advanced nuclear technologies.

Main Methods:

• Irradiation of elemental samples (gold, bismuth, cobalt, natural iron, thulium) with quasi-monoenergetic neutrons.
• Activity measurement using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector.
• Calculation of reaction rates and extraction of cross sections using the SAND-II code and the IRDFF database.

Main Results:

• Experimentally determined cross sections for 197Au, 209Bi, 59Co, natFe, and 169Tm were obtained.
• The data covers neutron energies from 18 to 34 MeV, filling gaps in existing nuclear data libraries.
• Comparison with evaluated cross sections from the International Reactor Dosimetry and Fusion File (IRDF) database was performed.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully measured neutron reaction cross sections for key isotopes in a relevant energy range.
• The obtained experimental data can be used to validate and improve nuclear reaction models and evaluated data libraries.
• This research contributes to enhancing the accuracy of nuclear applications, including reactor dosimetry and neutron transport simulations.