7Li(α,n) 10B differential cross-section measurements from threshold to Eα = 5.1 MeV

Abstract

Differential cross sections for the 7Li(α, n) 10B reaction have been measured at lab angles of 0°, 20°, 31°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 100° and 114° for α-particle energies between 4.385 and 5.1 MeV. A thick natural lithium target was bombarded with a 5.2 MeV, nanosecond-pulsed 4He + beam and neutron velocity spectra at each angle were measured by time-of-flight techniques. These data have been converted to cross sections at 10 keV intervals in α-particle energy. Angular distributions have been fitted with a series of Legendre polynomials. Angle-integrated cross sections, the 0° excitation function, and angular distributions are compared to past measurements and R-matrix calculations.