Studies of (n,xn) cross-sections in Al, Au, Bi, Cu, Fe, I, In, Mg, Ni, Ta, Y, and Zn by the activation method

Abstract

The article summarizes series of experiments devoted to studies of (n,xn) cross-sections by the activation method and states numerical values of measured cross-sections. The activation samples are used to measure neutron flux produced during accelerator driven system studies. The threshold (n,xn) reactions are used but experimental cross-section data of such reactions are mostly not available for neutron energies above 30MeV. We focused for this reason on activation materials (Al, Au, Bi, In Ta, and Y) commonly used for such purposes and we also measured other materials (Cu, Fe, I, Mg, Ni, and Zn). The cross-sections were studied using quasi mono-energetic neutron sources based on proton reactions in a 7Li target in the energy range from 17MeV up to 94MeV. We observed a good agreement of the obtained data with the experimental data in the EXFOR database and also with the calculations performed using the code TALYS 1.4. Many of presented measurements represent the first ever measurement for a given reaction at a given neutron energy.