Cross sections of theNd143(n,α)Ce140

Abstract

Cross sections and forward/backward ratios in the laboratory reference system were measured for the 143 Nd(n,α) 140 Ce reaction at 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 MeV and for the 147 Sm(n,α) 144 Nd reaction at 5.0 and 6.0 MeV. A twin-gridded ionization chamber and large-area back-to-back 143 Nd 2 O 3 samples and 147 Sm 2 O 3 samples were employed. Experiments were performed at the 4.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator of Peking University, China. Fast neutrons were produced through the 2 H(d,n) 3 He reaction by using a deuterium gas target. A small 238 U fission chamber was employed for absolute neutron flux determination, and a BF 3 long counter was used as the neutron flux monitor. Present experimental data are compared with previous measurements, evaluations, and model calculations.

Total reaction cross sectionσreacofα-induced reactions from elastic scattering: The example140Ce(Mohr1 2013Phys. Rev. C

“…However, above 1 MeV surprisingly significant differences up to a factor of two appear. Interestingly, the Smaragd calculation shows a similar energy dependence as the experimental data points [33,34] but it underestimates the abolute scale significantly. It is beyond the scope of the present paper to provide a detailed comparison of the Talys and Smaragd codes.…”

“…7. The agreement with the experimental data above 1 MeV [33,34] is reasonable although the energy dependence of the data points is not perfectly reproduced. At energies below 1 MeV the experimental data of [32,35] The calculations have been repeated using the code Smaragd [37] with its default parameters (here the MCF potential is used in the α channel by default), see Fig.…”

“…The calculation of the 143 Nd(n,α) 140 Ce reaction cross section in the statistical model requires the knowledge of the 140 Ce-α potential. Because of the huge positive Q-value of 9.72 MeV, this potential has to be determined at energies around 15 MeV for the higher-energy data in [33]. This is exactly the energy range of the Watson et al scattering data [12] where the various potentials under study were able to reproduce σ reac within about 15 − 20 % (see Table III).…”

“…Recently, experimental data for the 143 Nd(n,α) 140 Ce reaction have been measured at energies below 1 MeV [32] and between 4 and 6 MeV [33], and earlier data below 10 MeV are available from [34] and [35]. The calculation of the 143 Nd(n,α) 140 Ce reaction cross section in the statistical model requires the knowledge of the 140 Ce-α potential.…”

“…In both cases the underlying MCF result has been taken from the Talys calculation. The results are compared to the experimental data of [32][33][34][35] in Fig. 7.…”