Neutron capture cross section measurements of 241Am at the n_TOF facility

A Oprea,D G Jenkins,G Bellia,E Mendoza,T Glodariu,J M Quesada,E Berthoumieux,D Radeck,J Andrzejewski,A Casanovas,F Mingrone,V Bécares,S Valenta,M Krtička,V Furman,Z Eleme,Y Kopatch,V Michalopoulou,N V Sosnin,P Torres-Sánchez,O Aberle,M Sabaté-Gilarte,F Käppeler,A Manna,A Musumarra,C Rubbia,I Ladarescu,A Gawlik,A Negret,F Calviño,E Dupont,P J Woods,S Lo Meo,S Heinitz,T Wright,V Alcayne,G Vannini,F Becčvář,M Bacak,M Kokkoris,E Jericha,V Variale,A Tsinganis,S J Lonsdale,M Dietz,M Caamaño,A Pavlik,P Vaz,J Billowes,G Tagliente,L A Damone,N Patronis,A Masi,D Macina,J Perkowski,F Ogállar,L Audouin,F Gunsing,M Mastromarco,S Amaducci,Y Kadi,R Vlastou,L Persanti,E Chiaveri,A Stamatopoulos,T Talip,M Barbagallo,V Babiano-Suárez ,B Geslot,I Porras,A Ferrari,Y H Chen,S Cristallo,Μ Diakaki ,B Femández-Domínguez,L Tassan‐Got ,I F Gonçalves ,F Matteuccí ,D Cano‐Ott ,M Calviani,G Cortés,R Reifarth,S Gilardoni,J Heyse,C Massimi,P Mastinu,M Busso,E González‐Romero ,A Kimura,M A Cortés‐Giraldo ,P Finocchiaro,Paolo Milazzo ,R Dressler,D Schumann,T Martínez,C Domingo‐Pardo ,C Lederer-Woods ,A Ventura,N Kivel,A Brown,A Wallner,E A Maugeri,C Guerrero,A Mazzone,D Kurtulgil,D Rochman,L Caballero ,J Lerendegui-Marco ,J L Taín ,D Bosnar,F Cerutti,K Göbel,J Ulrich,R Garg,S Urlaß ,P Schillebeeckx,P Žugec,D Ramos-Doval ,A Tarifeño-Saldivia,A Mengoni,V Vlachoudis,J Praena,L Coséntino ,Andrew Smith ,R Nolte,I Durán,N Colonna,Hideo Harada ,Amit Saxena

doi:10.1051/epjconf/202023901009

Abstract

Neutron capture on 241Am plays an important role in the nuclear energy production and also provides valuable information for the improvement of nuclear models and the statistical interpretation of the nuclear properties. A new experiment to measure the 241Am(n, γ) cross section in the thermal region and the first few resonances below 10 eV has been carried out at EAR2 of the n_TOF facility at CERN. Three neutron-insensitive C6D6 detectors have been used to measure the neutron-capture gamma cascade as a function of the neutron time of flight, and then deduce the neutron capture yield. Preliminary results will be presented and compared with previously obtained results at the same facility in EAR1. In EAR1 the gamma-ray background at thermal energies was about 90% of the signal while in EAR2 is up to a 25 factor much more favorable signal to noise ratio. We also extended the low energy limit down to subthermal energies. This measurement will allow a comparison with neutron capture measurements conducted at reactors and using a different experimental technique.

Highlights

Introduction and motivationThe design and modelling of advanced nuclear systems and nuclear fuel cycles need detailed knowledge of the nuclear data of the most relevant isotopes, including nuclear reaction cross sections and decay data
Accurate knowledge of the neutron capture cross section of 241Am(n,γ) is required since it plays an important role in the nuclear energy production and fuel cycle scenarios
In order to improve the accuracy on the neutron induced cross sections of 241Am in the low energy region, a new neutron capture measurement has been performed at the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF at CERN

Summary

Introduction and motivation

The design and modelling of advanced nuclear systems and nuclear fuel cycles need detailed knowledge of the nuclear data of the most relevant isotopes, including nuclear reaction cross sections and decay data. Accurate knowledge of the neutron capture cross section of 241Am(n,γ) is required since it plays an important role in the nuclear energy production and fuel cycle scenarios. For this reason, the isotope 241Am is listed in the NEA High Priority Request List [1, 2]. In order to improve the accuracy on the neutron induced cross sections of 241Am in the low energy region, a new neutron capture measurement has been performed at the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF at CERN.

Experimental setup

Data acquisition

The 241Am sample

The C6D6 detectors

Findings

Conclusion