Fast neutron cross section measurements. Final technical report, March 1, 1987--September 30, 1995

Abstract

The time-of-flight technique was used with the ring scattering geometry in a laboratory with low neutron scattering background to measure the angular distributions of the cross sections for elastic and inelastic scattering of 14 MeV neutrons in natural chromium, iron, nickel, and niobium. Specifically for inelastic scattering included were: the 1.43 MeV and 4.56 MeV levels of {sup 52}Cr, the 0.85 MeV level, and (2.94-3.12) MeV and (4.46-4.51) MeV level groups of {sup 56}Fe, the 1.33 MeV level of {sup 60}Ni combined with the 1.45 MeV level of {sup 58}Ni, and the 4.48 MeV level of {sup 58}Ni. Pulses of neutrons with time width of 0.9-1.1 ns were produced via the {sup 3}H(d,n){sup 4}He reaction in a 150 keV Cockcroft-Walton linear accelerator, with average intensities of 9x10{sup 8} n/s. The energy of the incident neutrons was between 14.75 MeV (at 16{degree}) and 13.48 MeV (at 160{degree}). High purity scattering ring samples were used. The scattering angles ranged from {approx}16{degree} to {approx}150{degree}, for iron, chromium, and nickel, and from {approx}16{degree} to {approx}160{degree} for niobium, with a typical step of {approx}10{degree}. High purity ring samples were used.