Neutron total, scattering and inelastic Gamma-ray cross sections of yttrium at few MeV energies

Abstract

Neutron total, scattering and (n; n′,γ) cross sections of elemental yttrium (89Y) were measured in the few-MeV region. The neutron total-cross-section measurements were made with broad resolutions from ≈0.5 to 4.2MeV in steps of ≲0.1 MeV. Neutron elastic- and inelastic-scattering cross sections were measured from ≈1.5 to 4.0 MeV, at incident-neutron energy intervals of ≈50keV and at ten or more scattering angles distributed between 20 and 160 degrees using neutron detection. Inelastic-scattering cross sections were also determined using the (n; n′,γ) reaction at incident energies from 1.6 to 3.8 MeV at intervals of 0.1 MeV. Gamma-rays and/or inelastically-scattered neutrons were observed corresponding to the excitation of levels at: 909.0±0.5, 1,507.4 ±0.3, 1,744.5±0.3, 2,222.6±0.5, 2,530±0.8, 2,566.4±1.0, 2,622.5±1.0, 2,871.9 ±1.5, 2,880.6±2.0, 3,067.0±2.0, 3,107.0±2.0, 3,140.0±2.0, 3,410.0±2.0, 3,450.0±2.0, 3,504.0 ±1.5, 3,514.0±2.0, 3,556.0±2.0, 3,619.0±3.0, 3,629.0±3.0 and 3,715.0±3.0 keV. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the spherical-optical-statistical, coupledchannels, and core-coupling models, and in the context of previously reported excitedlevel structure.