Determination of cross sections for the 238U(n,3n)236U reaction induced by 14-MeV neutrons with accelerator mass spectrometry
Abstract
The cross sections of the 238U(n,3n)236U reaction induced by neutrons with energies around 14 MeV were determined using a combination of the activation technique and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) at the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). U3O8 samples were irradiated for 198 h by neutrons produced by the 3H(d,n)4He reaction on a 600-kV neutron generator at CIAE. Neutron flux was continuously determined by the activation of flux monitors, Co foils, closely attached to the sample. To accurately determine the long half-life product 236U, an AMS procedure was established with a sensitivity of about 10-11 for 236U/238U. As a result, the cross sections of 238U(n,3n)236U for the incident neutron energies of (14.18±0.30) and (14.65±0.40) MeV were obtained to be (489.3±48.0) and (556.7±27.8) mb, respectively.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review C
- Pub Date:
- January 2013
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevC.87.014612
- Bibcode:
- 2013PhRvC..87a4612W
- Keywords:
-
- 25.40.-h;
- 28.20.-v;
- 82.80.-d;
- 29.30.-h;
- Nucleon-induced reactions;
- Neutron physics;
- Chemical analysis and related physical methods of analysis;
- Spectrometers and spectroscopic techniques