Measurement of activation cross-sections for (n,2n) reactions producing short-lived nuclei in the energy range between 13.4 and 14.9 MeV

Abstract

Activation cross-sections for 18 (n,2n) reactions producing short-lived nuclei with half-lives between 20 s and 38 min were measured in the energy range between 13.4 and 14.9 MeV by an activation method. The measured target isotopes were 14N, 31P, 54Fe, 63Cu, 79Br, 87Rb, 92Mo, 108Pd, 113In, 132Ba, 138Ba, 140Ce, 141Pr, 144Sm and 165Ho. Four cross-sections for 108Pd, 132Ba, 144Sm and 165Ho were obtained at six-point energies for the first time. The intense 14 MeV neutron source facility (OKTAVIAN) at Osaka University was used for irradiation. All cross-section values were relatively obtained on the basis of the standard cross-section of 27Al(n, α) 24Na reaction (ENDF/B-VI). To obtain reliable neutron activation cross-sections, careful attention was paid to neutron irradiation and induced activities measurement. The present results were compared with previous data and the evaluated data in JENDL-3.2, JENDL-Activation File and ENDF/B-VI. The previous data measured at multi-point energies show reasonable agreement with the present results in comparison with those at one-point energy. There are overestimations of the cross-section for 31P in JENDL-3.2 and ENDF/B-VI, and for 132Ba and 165Ho in JENDL-Activation File.