Measurement of neutron capture cross-section of the Ga(n, γ)Ga reaction at 0.0536 eV energy

The neutron capture cross-section for the ⁷¹Ga(n,  γ)⁷²Ga reaction at 0.0536 eV energy was measured using activation technique based on TRIGA Mark-II research reactor. The ¹⁹⁷Au(n, γ)¹⁹⁸Au monitor reaction was used to determine the effective neutron flux. Neutron absorption and γ-ray attenuation in gallium oxide pellet were corrected in determination of cross-section. The cross-section for the above reaction at 0.0536 eV amounts to 2.75 ± 0.14 b. As far as we know there are no experimental data available at our investigated energy. So far we are the first, who carried out experiment with 0.0536 eV neutrons for cross-section measurement. The present result is larger than that of JENDL-3.3, but consistent within the uncertainty range. The value of ENDF/B-VII is higher than this work. The result of this work will be useful to observe energy dependence of neutron capture cross-sections.     

Systematics studies of (n, α) reaction cross sections at 14.5 MeV neutrons energy

A new semi-empirical formula for the calculation of the (n, α) cross-section at 14.5 MeV neutron energy is obtained. It is based on the pre-equilibrium exciton and evaporation models and uses the Droplet model of Myers and Swiatecki to express the reaction energy Q(n, α). The systematics behavior of the different terms of the Droplet model involved in Q(n, α) was checked individually before choosing the pertinent terms and setting up the formula. Fitting this formula to the existing cross-section data, the adjustable parameters have been determined and the systematics of the (n, α) reaction have been studied. The predictions of this formula are compared with those of the existing formulae and with the experimental data. The formula with five parameters is found to give a better fit to the data than the previous comparable formulae.     

Semi-empirical systematics for the cross-sections of the reactions (n,α), (n,p) and (n,2n) at 14.5 MeV neutrons on the basis of experimental data measured by Lanzhou University

Three new semi-empirical formulae for the calculation of the (n,α), (n,p) and (n,2n) cross-sections at neutron energy 14.5 MeV were obtained on the basis of experimental data measured by Lanzhou University. Derived from the statistical model with consideration of the Q-value dependence, the new formulae include three, three and four parameters for (n,α), (n,p) and (n,2n) reactions, respectively. The obtained relations are compared with other recently proposed systematics based on the statistical model as well as on the asymmetry parameter dependence.     

Interaction of 〈1 0 0〉 and ½〈1 1 1〉 dislocation loops with point defects in ferritic alloys

The interaction between dislocation loops of interstitial nature with ½〈1 1 1〉 and 〈1 0 0〉 Burgers vectors and point defects in Fe has been studied molecular dynamics. Comparative calculations have been carried out using two interatomic potentials for pure Fe ([G.J. Ackland, M.I. Mendelev, D.J. Srolovitz, S. Han, A.V. Barashev, J. Phys.: Condens. Mater. 16 (2004) 1; S. Dudarev, P. Derlet, J. Phys.: Condens. Mater. 17 (2005) 7097]). The results of this study are range and energy of the interaction as functions of size and mutual position of defects. The applied potentials predict somewhat different strain field structure for 〈1 0 0〉 loops and therefore different lengths of interaction. However, both potentials suggest that, contrary to common belief, the distance of cluster-defect interaction within the glide prism of a ½〈1 1 1〉 cluster is significantly longer than that of a 〈1 0 0〉 cluster of similar size, in spite of the longer Burgers vector in the latter case.     

The Comparison of (n,p), (n,α), (n,2n) and (α,n) Reaction Cross-Sections for <Superscript>7</Superscript>Li and <Superscript>9</Superscript>Be Target Nuclei

The knowledge of the cross-section is important especially for the fusion and fission reactor technology. In the absence of experimental data or in the difficulty of measuring data, theoretical predictions of nuclear cross-section data are needed to be improved using model calculations or semi-empirical formulas and to be compared with model and formulas to obtain sensitive approaches. In this work, for ⁷Li and ⁹Be target nuclei used as blanket materials in fusion reactors, (n,p), (n,α), (n,2n) and (α,n) reaction cross-section data have been evaluated by using some available empirical and semi-empirical cross-section formulas. The (n,p), (n,α), (n,2n) and (α,n) reaction cross-section formulas developed for medium and heavy mass nuclei by some scientist in literature are applied to ⁷Li and ⁹Be light nuclei and then results obtained from any systematics are compared with each other and the existing experimental data.     

Measurement of the Cross Sections for the ~(175)Lu(n,2n)~(174m,g)Lu Reaction

Introduction The ~(175)Lu(n,2n)~(174m,g)Lu reaction is an important indicator. There are 10 sets of measured data since 1960 (total 58 experimental values). Most of the data are finished at 14 MeV with 20%～30% discrepancy. So we measured the cross section by activation method in neutron energies of 14 MeV and 10～12 MeV.     

Excitation functions of (n, α) reaction cross-sections for some important isotopes from threshold to 20 MeV

The (n, α) reaction cross-sections from threshold to ∼20 MeV on some important nuclides ⁴²Ca, ^50,53Cr, ^56,57Fe, ^58,62Ni, and ^63,65Cu involved in the reactor shielding design have been calculated using the Hauser–Feshbach statistical model with preequilibrium effects by involving PCROSS option in Empire 2.19. The transmission coefficients for neutrons in the entrance channel are calculated using the optical model potential of Koning. In the exit channel optical model potential of Avrigeanu has been used. The experimental values have been chosen carefully for all the isotopes, from EXFOR data base. The calculations are compared with existing experimental data as well as with evaluated data files (ENDF/B-VI.0 and JENDL-3.3). A good agreement between the calculated and experimental data validates the nuclear model approaches with increased predictive power to supplement and extend the nuclear database that is required for several applications.     

Mi (i = 1-5) subshell fluorescence and Coster-Kronig yields for elements with 67 ? Z ? 92

A complete set of the M_i (i = 1-5) subshell fluorescence and Coster-Kronig (CK) yields has been generated by interpolation for elements with 67 ? Z ? 92 from the Dirac-Hartree-Slater (DHS) model based values tabulated for a limited number of elements, considering the cutoff/onset of different CK transitions in accordance with the CK transition energies evaluated in the present work. The CK transition energies have been deduced from tabulated values of the Dirac-Hartree-Fock-Slater model based neutral atom binding energies [K. Huang, M. Aoyagi, M.H. Chen, B. Crasemann, H. Mark, At. Data Nucl. Data Tables 18 (1976) 243] and the L_i (i = 1-3) subshell CK transition energies [M.H. Chen, B. Crasemann, K. Huang, M. Aoyagi, H. Mark, At. Data Nucl. Data Tables 19 (1977) 97] in order to establish the cutoff/onset of different CK transitions at specific atomic numbers. A second set of the M_i (i = 1-5) subshell fluorescence yields have also been deduced using radiative widths computed from the Dirac-Fock (DF) model based X-ray emission rates, and the total widths reevaluated to incorporate the DF model based radiative widths in place of those based on the DHS model. Further, the CK-corrected (ν_i) and average fluorescence (?_M) fields, which are experimentally important, have been evaluated from the generated set of CK yields and two sets of fluorescence yields.     

Thermal neutron capture cross sections for the Sm(n,γ)Sm and Sm(n,γ)Sm reactions at 0.0536 eV energy

The neutron capture cross sections for the ¹⁵²Sm(n,γ)¹⁵³Sm and ¹⁵⁴Sm(n,γ)¹⁵⁵Sm reactions at 0.0536 eV neutron energy were measured using an activation technique based on the TRIGA Mark-II research reactor, relative to the reference reaction ¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸Au. The activity was measured nondestructively using gamma-ray spectroscopy. Our measured values at this neutron energy are the first ones and are compared with 1/v based evaluated cross sections reported in the ENDF/B-VII and JENDL-3.3 libraries. The measured value for the ¹⁵²Sm(n,γ)¹⁵³Sm reaction is 0.28% lower than JENDL-3.3 and 0.48% higher than ENDF/B-VII. Our value for the production of ¹⁵⁵Sm is about 3% and 2.3% higher than the evaluated value with ENDF/B-VII and JENDL-3.3 at 0.0536 eV, respectively.     

Li (i = 1-3) subshell X-ray production cross sections and fluorescence yields for some elements with 56 ? Z ? 68 at 22.6 keV

The L_k (k = l, α, β_1,4, β_3,6, β_2,15,9,10,7, γ_1,5 and γ_2,3,4) X-ray production (XRP) cross sections have been measured for six elements with 56 ? Z ? 68 at 22.6 keV incident photon energy using the EDXRF spectrometer. The incident photon intensity, detector efficiency and geometrical factors have been determined from the K X-ray yields emitted from elemental targets with 22 ? Z ? 42 in the same geometrical setup and from knowledge of the K XRP cross sections. The L₁ and L₂ subshell fluorescence yields have been deduced from the present measured L_k XRP cross sections using the relativistic Hartree-Fock-Slater (HFS) model based photoionization cross sections. The present deduced ω₁ (exp) values have been found to be, on an average, higher by 15% and 20% than those based on the Dirac-Hartree-Slater (DHS) model and the semi-empirical values compiled by Krause, respectively, for elements with 60 ? Z ? 68.     

An analytical multigroup benchmark for (n, γ) and (n, n′, γ) verification of diffusion theory algorithms

The angular flux for the “rod model” describing coupled neutron/gamma (n, γ) diffusion has a particularly straightforward analytical representation when viewed from the perspective of a one-group homogeneous medium. Cast in the form of matrix functions of a diagonalizable matrix, the solution to the multigroup equations in heterogeneous media is greatly simplified. We shall show exactly how the one-group homogeneous medium solution leads to the multigroup solution.     

Nuclear half-lives for α-radioactivity of elements with 100 ? Z ? 130

Theoretical estimates for the half-lives of about 1700 isotopes of heavy elements with 100 ? Z ? 130 are tabulated using theoretical Q-values. The quantum mechanical tunneling probabilities are calculated within a WKB framework using microscopic nuclear potentials. The microscopic nucleus-nucleus potentials are obtained by folding the densities of interacting nuclei with a density-dependent M3Y effective nucleon-nucleon interaction. The α-decay half-lives calculated in this formalism using the experimental Q-values were found to be in good agreement over a wide range of experimental data spanning about 20 orders of magnitude. The theoretical Q-values used for the present calculations are extracted from three different mass estimates viz. Myers-Swiatecki, Muntian-Hofmann-Patyk-Sobiczewski, and Koura-Tachibana-Uno-Yamada.     

Stopping power measurements of heavy ions (3 ? Z1 ? 14) in Mylar foil by time-of-flight spectrometry

Heavy ions elastic recoil detection analysis coupled with time of flight spectrometer (HIERDA_ToF-E) have been used to measure energy loss of charged particles in thin absorber. The stopping power of heavy ions has been determined in Mylar for ²⁸Si, ²⁷Al, ²⁴Mg, ¹⁹F, ¹⁶O, ¹²C and ⁷Li ions over a continuous range of energies 0.14-0.80 MeV/nucleon. The ions were recoils from the bombardment of different samples (Si, MgO, Al₂O₃, LiF and C) with a 27.5 MeV Kr⁺ beam. The energy loss of the recoil atoms is measured with and without additional foils placed in front of a Surface Barrier Detector (SBD). The energy of individual ions is determined from its ToF data; the exit energy after the stopping foil is measured using the SBD detector. We have compared our stopping values to those predicted by SRIM-2008 computer code, ICRU-73 stopping data tables, MSTAR calculations and to the published data from literature. The results show good agreement with limited existing data but indicate a large deviation among the predicted theoretical values at the low energy side of the stopping maximum peak.     

Evaluation and Calculation of Activation Cross Sections for ~(169)Tm(n,2n), (n,3n), (n,γ) and (n,x) Reactions Below 20 MeV

Introduction ~(169)Tm is a rare-earth element. Its activation cross sections are a good indicator for nuclear science and technology applications. However, there are no evaluated data in several nuclear data libraries. The activation cross sections for ~(169)Tm(n,2n), (n,3n), (n,γ) and some emission charged particle (n,x) reactions below 20 MeV were evaluated and calculated on the basis of experimental and theoretical data.     

Measurement of Activation Cross Sections for ~(159)Tb(n,γ)~(160)Tb and ~(169)Tm(n,γ)~(170)Tm Reactions

Introduction Both ~(159)Tb and ~(169)Tm are rare-earth elements. Their activation cross sections are a good indicator for nuclear science and technology applications. Precise values of the neutron capture cross section of terbium and thulium also are of practical importance in relation to reactor design since they are the fission product poisons.     

Post-annealing temperature dependence of blistering in high-fluence ion-implanted H in Si 〈1 0 0〉

This study examined the influence of post-annealing temperature on blister formation and growth in ion-implanted H in Si 〈1 0 0〉. Ion energy levels of 40 and 100 keV and fluences of 2 × 10¹⁶ and 5 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻² were investigated. Post-annealing treatments were performed using the furnace annealing (FA) method with temperatures ranging from 200 to 600 °C for a duration of 1 h. Raman scattering spectroscopy (RSS), optical microscopy (OM), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) were employed to explore the mechanisms behind the smart cut technique. The results revealed that variations among the transformation of the VH₃ (or V₂H₆) defect complex phase into the Si(1 0 0):H bonding configuration phase (RSS results), the appearance of optically detectable blisters and craters (OM results), the average depth of craters (AFM results), the trapping of hydrogen atoms and gettering of oxygen atoms (SIMS results), and the damaged microstructures (XTEM results) against post-annealing temperature were in close correspondence. It was also found that the optimal post-annealing temperature for blister formation and growth was 550 °C.     

Energy levels in Ag-like (4d4f, 4d5? (? = 0-3)), Pd-like (4d4f [J = 1], 4d5p [J = 1], 4d5f [J = 1]), and Rh-like (4d [J = 5/2, 3/2]) ions with Z ? 86

Relativistic perturbation theory with a model potential is used for the calculation of energy levels of the states 4f_5/2, 4f_7/2, 5s_1/2, 5p_1/2, 5p_3/2, 5d_3/2, 5d_5/2, 5f_5/2, and 5f_7/2 above the 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶3d¹⁰4s²4p⁶4d¹⁰ core, with one vacancy , in the same core, in the silver and rhodium isoelectronic sequences with the maximum nuclear charge Z = 86. The method of extrapolation of the model potential parameter is applied to calculate one-electron and one-vacancy wavefunctions. The wavefunctions of Ag- and Rh-like ions were used to calculate the energies of resonance transitions to the ground state ¹S₀ in Pd-like ions. Good agreement between the theoretical and the experimental energies of the resonance transitions in Pd-like ions indicates the reliability of the results obtained.     

Measurements of activation cross sections of (n,p) and (n, α) reactions in the energy range of 3.5–5.9 MeV using a deuterium gas target

Activation cross sections of (n, p) and (n, α) reactions were measured by means of the activation method in the neutron energy range of 3.5–5.9 MeV using a deuterium gas target. The irradiated target isotopes were ²⁷Al, ^28,29Si, ⁴¹K, ⁵¹V, ⁶¹Ni, ⁶⁵Cu, ^64,67Zn, ⁶⁹Ga, ⁷⁹Br, ⁹²Mo and ⁹³Nb. The cross sections of the ²⁹Si(n, p) ²⁹Al, ⁶⁷Zn(n, p) ⁶⁷Cu, ⁶⁹Ga(n, p) ^69mZn, ⁷⁹Br(n, p) ^79mSe, and ⁶⁹Ga(n, α) ⁶⁶Cu reactions were obtained for the first time in the studied energy range. The d-D neutrons were generated by the deuterium gas target at the Van de Graaff accelerator (KN-VdG) at Nagoya University. All cross section values were determined relative to those of the ¹¹⁵In(n, n′)^115mIn reaction. The activities induced by the low-energy neutrons were corrected. For the corrections, the neutron spectra and mean neutron energies at the irradiation positions were calculated taking into account the energy loss of incident deuterons, the angular differential cross section of the d-D reaction and the solid angle subtended by the sample. The systematics of the (n, p) reactions at the neutron energy of 5.0 MeV in the mass range between 27 and 92 were proposed for the first time. This systematics can predict the cross sections within an accuracy of a factor of 1.6.     

Depth-profiling of implanted 28Si by (α,α) and (α,p0) reactions

Silicon nanocrystals enclosed in thin films (Si quantum dots or Si QDs) are regarded to be the cornerstone of future developments in new memory, photovoltaic and optoelectronic products. One way to synthesize these Si QDs is ion implantation in SiO₂ layers followed by thermal annealing post-treatment.Depth-profiling of these implanted Si ions can be performed by reactions induced by α-particles on ²⁸Si. Indeed, for high incident energy, nuclear levels of ³²S and ³¹P can be reached, and cross-sections for (α,α) and (α,p₀) reactions are more intense. This can help to increase the signal for surface silicon, and therefore make distinguishing more easy between implanted Si and Si coming from the SiO₂, even for low fluences.In this work, (α,α) and (α,p₀) reactions are applied to study depth distributions of 70 keV ²⁸Si⁺ ions implanted in 200 nm SiO₂ layers with fluences of 1 × 10¹⁷ and 2 × 10¹⁷ cm^?2. Analysis is performed above E_R = 3864 keV to take advantage of resonances in both (α,α) and (α,p₀) cross-sections. We show how (α,p₀) reactions can complement results provided by resonant backscattering measurements in this complex case.