Thermal neutron cross-section and resonance integral of the W(n, γ)W reaction

We measured the thermal neutron cross-section and the resonance integral of the reaction ¹⁸⁶W(n, γ)¹⁸⁷W by the activation method using a ¹⁹⁷Au(n, γ)¹⁹⁸Au monitor reaction as single comparator. The high-purity natural W and Au metallic foils with and without a cadmium shield case of 0.5 mm thickness were irradiated in a neutron field of the Pohang neutron facility. The induced activities in the samples were measured by high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry with a calibrated p-type high-purity Ge detector. The necessary correction factors for γ-ray attenuation (F_g), thermal neutron self-shielding (G_th), and resonance neutron self-shielding (G_epi) effects, and the epithermal neutron spectrum shape factor (α) were taken into account. The thermal neutron cross-section for the ¹⁸⁶W(n, γ)¹⁸⁷W reaction has been determined to be 37.2 ± 2.1 barn, relative to the reference value of 98.65 ± 0.09 barn for the ¹⁹⁷Au(n, γ)¹⁹⁸Au reaction. The present result is, in general, in good agreement with most of the experimental data and the recently evaluated value of ENDF/B-VII.0 by 5.7%. By assuming the cadmium cut-off energy of 0.55 eV, the resonance integral obtained is 461 ± 39 barn, which is determined relative to the reference values of 1550 ± 28 barn for the ¹⁹⁷Au(n, γ)¹⁹⁸Au reaction. The present resonance integral value is in general good agreement with the recently measured values by 9%. The present result is lower than the evaluated ones by 10-13%.     

Measurement of thermal neutron cross-section and resonance integral for the Ho(n,γ)Ho reaction using electron linac-based neutron source

The thermal neutron cross-section and the resonance integral of the ¹⁶⁵Ho(n,γ)^166gHo reaction have been measured by the activation method using a ¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸Au monitor reaction as a single comparator. The high-purity natural Ho and Au foils with and without a cadmium shield case of 0.5 mm thickness were irradiated in a neutron field of the Pohang neutron facility. The induced activities in the activated foils were measured with a calibrated p-type high-purity Ge detector. The correction factors for the γ-ray attenuation (F_g), the thermal neutron self-shielding (G_th), the resonance neutron self-shielding (G_epi) effects, and the epithermal neutron spectrum shape factor (α) were taken into account. The thermal neutron cross-section for the ¹⁶⁵Ho(n,γ)^166gHo reaction has been determined to be 59.7 ± 2.5 barn, relative to the reference value of 98.65 ± 0.09 barn for the ¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸Au reaction. By assuming the cadmium cut-off energy of 0.55 eV, the resonance integral for the ¹⁶⁵Ho(n,γ)^166gHo reaction is 671 ± 47 barn, which is determined relative to the reference value of 1550 ± 28 barn for the ¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸Au reaction. The present results are, in general, good agreement with most of the previously reported data within uncertainty limits.     

Measurement of thermal neutron cross-section and resonance integral for the Yb(n,γ)Yb reaction by the cadmium ratio method

The thermal-neutron cross-section and the resonance integral for the ¹⁷⁴Yb(n,γ)¹⁷⁵Yb reaction were measured by the activation method using a ⁵⁵Mn monitor as single comparator. Analytical grade MnO₂ and Yb₂O₃ powder samples with and without a cylindrical 1 mm Cd shield box were irradiated in an isotropic neutron field obtained from three ²⁴¹Am-Be neutron sources. The gamma-ray spectra from the activated samples were measured with a calibrated n-type high-purity Ge detector. The experimental results were corrected for the correction factors calculated for thermal and epithermal neutron self-shielding effects, epithermal neutron spectrum shape and gamma-ray self attenuation. Thus, the thermal neutron cross-section for the ¹⁷⁴Yb(n,γ)¹⁷⁵Yb reaction is found to be 126.5 ± 6.6 b, relative to that of the ⁵⁵Mn monitor. The resonance integral value for the ¹⁷⁴Yb(n,γ)¹⁷⁵Yb reaction is found to be 59.6 ± 8.5 b, at cadmium cut-off energy of a 0.55 eV. Using the measured cadmium ratios of ⁵⁵Mn and ¹⁷⁴Yb, the result for resonance integral of the ¹⁷⁴Yb(n,γ)¹⁷⁵Yb reaction has also been obtained relative to the reference value of the ⁵⁵Mn monitor. The present results for the ¹⁷⁴Yb(n,γ)¹⁷⁵Yb reaction agree well only with the recent experimental ones obtained by Kafala et al. [1] and De Corte and Simonits [2] within uncertainty limits. However, the previously reported experimental data for the thermal neutron cross-section for this reaction are distributed between 24 and 141 b, and similarly the experimental values for the resonance integral value also show a large scatter in the range of 30-69 b.     

Measurement of thermal neutron cross-section and resonance integral for 186W(n,γ)187W reaction by the activation method using a single monitor

The thermal neutron cross-section (σ₀) and the resonance integral (I₀) of the reaction ¹⁸⁶W(n,γ)¹⁸⁷W were measured by the activation method using ⁵⁵Mn as a single comparator. The diluted MnO₂ and WO₃ samples within and without a cylindrical Cd shield case were irradiated in an isotropic neutron field of the ²⁴¹Am–Be neutron source. The γ-ray spectra from the irradiated samples were measured by high resolution γ-ray spectrometry with a calibrated high purity Ge detector. The necessary correction factors for gamma ray attenuation, thermal and resonance neutron self-shielding effects, and the shape factor (α) for epithermal neutron spectrum were taken into account in the determinations. The thermal neutron cross-section for ¹⁸⁶W(n,γ)¹⁸⁷W reaction has been determined to be 39.5±2.3 b at 0.025 eV. This result has been obtained relative to the reference thermal neutron cross-section value of 13.3±0.1 b for the ⁵⁵Mn(n,γ)⁵⁶Mn reaction. The present value of 39.5±2.3 b for ¹⁸⁶W(n,γ)¹⁸⁷W, in general is in good agreement with most of experimental data and evaluated ones in ENDF/B-VI and JENDL-3.2 within the limits of error. The resonance integral has also been measured relative to the reference value of 14.0±0.3 b for the ⁵⁵Mn(n,γ)⁵⁶Mn monitor reaction using a 1/E^1+α epithermal neutron spectrum of the ²⁴¹Am–Be neutron source. By defining Cd cut-off energy 0.55 eV, the resonance integral obtained was 493±40 b. The existing experimental and evaluated data for the resonance integral are distributed from 290 to 534 b. The present resonance integral value agrees with some previously reported values.     

Determination of thermal neutron cross-section and resonance integral for the As (n, γ)As reaction by activation method using Mn (n, γ)Mn as a monitor

Nuclear constants for use in reactor activation analysis especially (n, γ) cross-sections and absolute gamma intensities, are known to show a rather large scatter in literature. Thermal and resonance cross-sections for the ⁷⁵As (n, γ)⁷⁶As reaction is determined by the method of foil activation using ⁵⁵Mn (n, γ)⁵⁶Mn as a reference reaction. The experimental sample with and without a cadmium cover of 1-mm wall thickness was irradiated in the isotropic neutron field of the outer irradiation sites 7 of Ghana Research Reactor-1 facility which is a miniature neutron source reactor designed by the Chinese. The irradiation channel used has a neutron spectral parameter (α) found to be (0.037 ± 0.001). The induced activity in the sample was measured by gamma ray spectrometry with a high purity germanium detector. A standard solution of Arsenic was used for the analysis. The necessary correction for gamma attenuation, thermal neutrons and resonance neutron self-shielding effects were not taken into account during the experimental analysis because they were negligible. By defining cadmium cut-off energy of 0.55 eV, the result for ⁷⁵As (n, γ)⁷⁶As reaction was found to be: thermal neutron cross-section σ₀ = (4.28 ± 0.19) b and resonance integral I₀ = (61.88 ± 1.07) b.     

Measurement of thermal neutron and resonance integral cross sections of the reaction V(n,γ)V using a 20 Ci Am–Be isotopic neutron source

The thermal neutron capture cross section (σ_o) and the resonance integral (I_o) of the ⁵¹V(n,γ)⁵²V reaction were measured with an activation method to provide fundamental data for reactor calculation, activation analysis, and other theoretical and experimental uses concerning the interaction of neutron with matter. The vanadium and manganese samples were irradiated within and without a Cd shield case using a 20 Ci Am–Be neutron source. The activities of the samples were measured using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The thermal neutron capture cross section and the resonance integral were determined relative to the reference reaction ⁵⁵Mn(n,γ)⁵⁶Mn and the values obtained are 5.16 ± 0.19 barns and 2.53 ± 0.1 barns respectively. The previous measurements of the σ_o and I_o of the reaction ⁵¹V(n,γ)⁵²V were reviewed and the difference between the present values and the previous results were discussed.     

Measurement of thermal neutron cross-sections and resonance integrals for Hf(n,γ)Hf and Hf(n,γ)Hf reactions at the Pohang neutron facility

The thermal-neutron cross-sections and the resonance integrals for the ¹⁷⁹Hf(n,γ)^180mHf and the ¹⁸⁰Hf(n,γ)¹⁸¹Hf reactions have been measured by the activation method. The high purity Hf and Au metallic foils within and without a Cd shield case were irradiated in a neutron field of the Pohang neutron facility. The gamma-ray spectra from the activated foils were measured with a calibrated p-type high-purity Ge detector.In the experimental procedure, the thermal neutron cross-sections, σ₀, and resonance integrals, I₀, for the ¹⁷⁹Hf(n,γ)^180mHf and the ¹⁸⁰Hf(n,γ)¹⁸¹Hf reactions have been determined relative to the reference values of the ¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸Au reaction, with σ₀ = 98.65 ± 0.09 barn and I₀ = 1550 ± 28 barn. In order to improve the accuracy of the experimental results, the interfering reactions and necessary correction factors were taken into account in the determinations. The obtained thermal neutron cross-sections and resonance integrals were σ₀ = 0.424 ± 0.018 barn and I₀ = 6.35 ± 0.45 barn for the ¹⁷⁹Hf(n,γ)^180mHf reaction, and σ₀ = 12.87 ± 0.52 barn and I₀ = 32.91 ± 2.38 barn for the ¹⁸⁰Hf(n,γ)¹⁸¹Hf reaction. The present results are in good agreement with recent measurements.     

Measurement of thermal neutron capture cross section and resonance integral of the 138Ba(n, γ)139Ba reaction using 55Mn(n, γ)56Mn as a monitor

The thermal neutron capture cross section (σ_o) and the resonance integral cross section (I_o) of the ¹³⁸Ba(n, γ)¹³⁹Ba reaction have been measured by the activation method using the Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1). The barium and manganese targets were irradiated within and without a cadmium capsule. The result of the thermal neutron capture cross section for the ¹³⁸Ba(n, γ)¹³⁹Ba reaction is 0.53 ± 0.01barns. The result was obtained relative to the reference value 13.2 barns of the ⁵⁵Mn(n, γ)⁵⁶Mn reaction. The resonance integral cross section for the ¹³⁸Ba(n, γ)¹³⁹Ba reaction was also measured relative to the reference value of 13.9 barns for the ⁵⁵Mn(n, γ)⁵⁶Mn reaction. The present resonance integral cross section for the ¹³⁸Ba(n, γ)¹³⁹Ba reaction is 0.380 ± 0.005 barns. The previous measurements of the σ_o and I_o of the reaction ¹³⁸Ba(n, γ)¹³⁹Ba were reviewed and the difference between the present values and the previous results were discussed. The present work was undertaken with the aim to contribute to the experimental basis of σ_o and I_o evaluations.     

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.     

Measurements of the Y(n,γ)Y cross-section in the neutron energy range of 13.5-14.6 MeV

The ⁸⁹Y(n,γ)^90mY cross-section has been measured at three neutron energy points between 13.5 and 14.6 MeV using the activation technique and a coaxial HPGe γ-ray detector. The data for the ⁸⁹Y(n,γ)^90mY cross-sections are reported to be 0.39 ± 0.02, 0.43 ± 0.02, and 0.38 ± 0.02 mb at 13.5 ± 0.2, 14.1 ± 0.1, and 14.6 ± 0.2 MeV incident neutron energies, respectively. The first data for the ⁸⁹Y(n,γ)^90mY reaction at neutron energy points of 13.5 and 14.1 MeV are presented. The natural high-purity Y₂O₃ powder was used as target material. The fast neutrons were produced by the T(d,n)⁴He reaction. Neutron energies were determined by the method of making cross-section ratios of ⁹⁰Zr(n,2n)^89m+gZr and ⁹³Nb(n,2n)^92mNb reactions, and the neutron fluencies were determined using the monitor reaction ⁹³Nb(n,2n)^92mNb. The results obtained are compared with existing data.     

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.     

Cross-section measurements for the (n,p) and (n,α) reactions on 23Na and for the (n,p) reaction on 26Mg at the neutron energies from 13.6 to 14.9 MeV

Cross sections were measured at neutron energies from 13.6 to 14.9 MeV for the reactions ²³Na(n,p)²³Ne and ²³Na(n,α)²⁰F, and ²⁶Mg(n,p)²⁶Na leading to short-lived products. The production of short-lived nuclei and the spectra accumulation have been carried out by cyclic activation method. Corrections were made for the effects of gamma ray attenuation, coincidence summing, pulse pile-up, dead time, neutron flux fluctuations and scattered low energy neutrons.     

Effect of concrete buildings on the environmental neutron flux by using the reaction 197Au (n,γ) 198Au and extremely low level gamma ray spectroscopy

The activation of gold by environmental neutrons through the reaction 197Au (n,γ) 198Au was used to study the effect of concrete buildings on the neutron flux, and to estimate the thermal neutron flux inside and outside these buildings. The results showed that three ceilings of thickness 34 g/cm2 decrease the fast neutrons to 26% from its original value. However, the same reinforced concrete decreases the slow neturon flux to only 62% of its original value. The thermal neutron flux at 283 m from the center of Training Reactor of Kinki University, was twice higher than the environmental neutron background.     

Measurements of the Thermal Neutron Cross Sections of the Reaction of ~(126)Sn(n,γ)~(127)Sn~ (g m)

For the measurement of the thermal neutron cross section of the FP nuclide, the thermal neutron across sections of some long-lived nuclides, whose half-lives are more than 20 a and fission yields are little more than 0.01%, are not fully measured hitherto…     

Measurement of the 77Se(γ, n) cross section and uncertainty evaluation of the 79Se(n, γ) cross section

The ⁷⁷Se (γ, n) cross section was measured for the energy range from 7.6 to 13.8 MeV by using quasi-monochromatic laser-Compton scattering γ-rays. The advanced method to deduce γ-ray strength functions from (γ, n) cross section was developed. By utilizing the method, the γ-ray strength functions of ^{77, 78, 80}Se were deduced so as to reproduce the ^{77, 78, 80}Se (γ, n) cross sections measured in this work and previous systematic measurements. The inverse (n, γ) cross sections for ^{76, 77, 79}Se isotopes were calculated using the statistical model calculation code CCONE with the deduced γ-ray strength functions. The uncertainty of the calculated ⁷⁹Se(n, γ)⁸⁰Se cross section was evaluated by comparing the calculations and the experimental data on ^{76, 77}Se (n, γ) cross sections.