Comparison of double-differential cross-section between nuclear data library and experimental data for photoneutron production

Abstract

In this study, we compared double differential cross-sections (DDXs) between the experimental data obtained by 16.6 MeV of polarized photons and the DDXs from JENDL2004 and JENDL/PD-2016.1 for 197Au, natPb, natCu, and natTi targets. Using Python-based software, we extracted the DDXs from the nuclear data libraries (NDLs), which were subsequently deduced considering the abundances of each target’s isotopes, the width of the photon beam, and the energy resolution of the neutron detectors. For the Ti target, the experimental DDX data were consistent with that of the NDLs. For Pb, Au, and Cu targets, the experimental DDX data at neutron energies higher than 4 MeV were larger than the DDX values obtained from the NDLs. The inconsistency between the DDXs of the experimental data and those of the NDLs indicates the need to improve the physical models to generate the spectrum of photoneutrons.