Abstract
The γ-ray production cross section for the 477.6-keV transition in 7 Li following inelastic neutron scattering has been measured from the reaction threshold up to 18 MeV. This cross section is interesting as a possible standard for other inelastic scattering measurements. The experiment was conducted at the Geel Electron LINear Accelerator (GELINA) pulsed white neutron source with the Gamma Array for Inelastic Neutron Scattering (GAINS) spectrometer. Previous measurements of this cross section are reviewed and compared with our results. Recently, this cross section has also been calculated using the continuum discretized coupled-channels (CDCC) method. Experiments for studying neutrinoless double-β decay (2β0ν) or other very rare processes require greatly reducing the background radiation level (both intrinsic and external). Copper is a common shielding and structural material, used extensively in experiments such as COBRA, CUORE, EXO, GERDA, and MAJORANA. Understanding the background contribution arising from neutron interactions in Cu is important when searching for very weak experimental signals. Neutron inelastic scattering on nat Cu was investigated with GAINS. The results are compared with previous experimental data and evaluated nuclear data libraries.
Highlights
In experiments involving neutron beams, the flux is often measured with a transmission fission chamber, containing e.g., 235U, 238U, or 239Pu
The experiment was conducted at the Geel Electron LINear Accelerator (GELINA) pulsed white neutron source with the Gamma Array for Inelastic Neutron Scattering (GAINS) spectrometer
GAINS consists of 12 large-volume highpurity germanium (HPGe) detectors manufactured by σγ (b)
Summary
In experiments involving neutron beams, the flux is often measured with a transmission fission chamber, containing e.g., 235U, 238U, or 239Pu. Several possibilities for a reference cross section have been considered in [1, 2], where the 477.6-keV 1/2− → 3/2−g.s. transition in 7Li was concluded to be one of the best candidates. Factors making this transition favorable include isotropic γ -ray emission, negligible internal conversion coefficient, low inelastic threshold (546 keV), and fairly smooth energy dependence of the cross section. Lithium and beryllium fluorides are interesting as coolants for Molten Salt Reactor Systems, as described in the Technology Roadmap for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems [3]. Good quality nuclear data on neutron- and proton-induced reactions of 6,7Li are necessary
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