New Cross Section Measurements for Neutron-Induced Reactions on Cr, Ni, Cu, Ta and W Isotopes Obtained with the Activation Technique

Abstract

Herein we report on 50Cr(n,x)48V, 58Ni(n,pa)54Mn, 58Ni(n,x)56Co, 63Cu(n,pa)59Fe, 181Ta(n,a)178mLu, 181Ta(n,a)178gLu, 181Ta(n,x)180mHf, 181Ta(n,p)181Hf, 181Ta(n,2n)180gTa, 182W(n,p)182Ta, 183W(n,x)182Ta, 183W(n,p)183Ta, 184W(n,x)183Ta, 184W(n,a)181Hf, 184W(n,p)184Ta, 186W(n,a)183Hf, 186W(n,x)185Ta, 186W(n,p)186Ta, and 186W(n,2n)185mW reaction cross section measurements using the activation technique. The irradiations were carried out at the 7-MV Van de Graaff accelerator at IRMM, Geel. Quasi monoenergetic neutrons with energies between 13.8 and 20.5MeV were produced via the 3H(d,n)4He reaction at Ed = 1, 2, 3, and 4MeV. Both natural and samples enriched in 182W, 183W, 184W, and 186W were used to facilitate correction for interference between reactions leading to the same product. Standard gamma-ray spectrometry was employed for the measurement of the radioactivity. In addition to the standard detector efficiency calibration a Monte Carlo simulation of the coaxial HPGe detector was performed with the MCNP5 code in order to achieve higher geometry flexibility and better accuracy. The measured results are compared with work by other authors, current evaluated data files, TALYS and EMPIRE calculations using consistent parameter sets.