(γ, 2n)-Reaction cross-section calculations of several even-even lanthanide nuclei using different level density models

Abstract

There are several level density models that can be used to predict photo-neutron cross sections. Some of them are Constant Temperature + Fermi Gas Model (CTFGM), Back-Shifted Fermi Gas Model (BSFM), Generalized Superfluid Model (GSM), Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov microscopic Model (HFBM). In this study, the theoretical photo-neutron cross sections produced by (γ, 2n) reactions for several eveneven lanthanide nuclei such as 140,142Ce, 142,144,146,148,150Nd, 144,148,150,152,154Sm, and 160Gd have been calculated on the different level density models as mentioned above by using TALYS 1.6 and EMPIRE 3.1 computer codes for incident photon energies up to 30 MeV. The obtained results have been compared with each other and available experimental data existing in the EXFOR database. Generally, at least one level density model cross-section calculations are in agreement with the experimental results for all reactions except 144Sm(γ, 2n)142Sm along the incident photon energy, TALYS 1.6 BSFM option for the level density model cross-section calculations can be chosen if the experimental data are not available or are improbable to be produced due to the experimental difficulty.