Cross Section Measurements of Neutron Induced Reactions on the Zirconium Isotopes in the Energy Range of 5.4 to 12.3 MeV

Abstract

Cross sections were determined for the reactions 90Zr(n,α)87mSr, 90Zr(n,p)90mY, 91Zr(n,p)91mY, 92Zr(n,p)92Y, 94Zr(n,α)91Sr, 94Zr(n,p)94Y and 96Zr(n,2n)95Zr using the foil activation technique. Neutrons have been produced via the 2H(d,n)3He reaction with a gas target on a variable energy cyclotron. The samples were irradiated with essentially monoenergetic neutrons at neutron energies of 5.4, 5.9, 6.4, 6.8, 8.2, 8.4, 8.9, 9.4, 10.2, 11.0, 11.6 and 12.3 MeV. Energy and energy spread of neutrons were calculated by the Monte-Carlo method and checked by scanning the neutron resonance absorption curve of 12C around 6.3 Mev. Neutron flux density was determined by reactions 27Al(n,α) and 56Fe(n,p).Keywordscross sectionexcitation functionfoil activation techniqueD2-gas targetmonoenergetic fast neutrons(n,α)(n,p)(n,2n) reactionsZr isotopes