The Neutron Facility at NCSR “Demokritos”—Implementation in the Case of the 232Th(n,2n) Reaction

Abstract

The neutron facility at the 5.5 MV Tandem T11/25 Accelerator of NCSR “Demokritos” will be presented. The facility can deliver monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy range 120–650 keV, 4–11.5 MeV and 16–20.5 MeV via the 7Li(p,n), 2H(d,n) and 3H(d,n) reactions, respectively. The corresponding beam energies obtained from the accelerator, are 1.92–2.37 MeV protons, 0.8–9.6 MeV deuterons and 0.8–3.7 MeV deuterons, for the three reactions, respectively. Experimental results for neutron energies up to 11.5 MeV will be presented for the 232Th(n,2n)231Th reaction. In context with the CERN n‐TOF collaboration, the cross section of this reaction has been measured relative to the 56Fe(n,p)56Mn and 27Al(n,α)24Na reaction cross sections, by using the activation method. In addition to the experimental work, theoretical Statistical model calculations have also been performed using the computer code STAPRE/F. The results are being compared to the experimental data.