CROSS-SECTION MEASUREMENTS OF REACTIONS INDUCED BY NEUTRONS OF 14.5 MEV. ENERGY

Abstract

The activation cross sections were measured for 57 elements bombarded with 14.5 Mev. neutrons from the T3(d, n)He4 reaction. Thirty-eight (n, p), twenty-five (n, α), and thirty-four (n, 2n) reactions resulting in known radioactive products with half-lives between a few seconds and a few days were observed. The counting arrangement was calibrated using samples containing standardized quantities of radioactive materials. The neutron monitor was calibrated by counting the α-particles from the T3(d, n)He4 reaction. Calculations were made of the cross sections predicted by evaporation theory and compared with the observed values. For the charged particle reactions with mass number greater than 100 the theoretical cross sections were too small. Values of σ obs/σ cal as high as 10,000 were obtained. However, the predicted cross sections for the (n, 2n) reactions were in general agreement with the observed values. A possible interpretation of these results is discussed.