Experimental cross sections of the 174Yb(n,γ)175Yb reaction at new energies of 0.0334 eV and 0.0536 eV

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The neutron capture cross sections of the 174Yb(n,γ)175Yb reaction at 0.0334 eV and 0.0536 eV energies were measured for the first time using monochromatic neutrons from a neutron diffractometer and a neutron spectrometer at TRIGA Mark II research reactor. The 197Au(n,γ)198Au reaction was used as a monitor reaction to determine the neutron beam intensity. The resultant cross section values at 0.0334 eV and 0.0536 eV are 56.8 ± 3.7 b and 44.2 ± 2.6 b, respectively after considering the correction for neutron self-shielding and gamma-ray attenuation effects. The measured data are consistent with both the ENDF/B-VIII and JENDL-4.0 data libraries, however, 45% less than the theoretically evaluated JEFF-3.3 data library. The measured data at 0.0334 eV and 0.0536 eV were extrapolated to the 0.0253 eV energy assuming 1/v dependence in the thermal energy region and the results were compared with the integrally measured values reported in the literature. The extrapolated thermal neutron capture cross section value at 0.0253 eV is in good agreement with recommended data in the literature. The new data will be used to check the evaluated excitation function to resolve discrepancies of the data at thermal energy region for the studied reaction.