Surrogate Measurements of Actinide (n, 2n) Cross Sections with NeutronSTARS.
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Published: 2016
Total Pages: 21
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DOWNLOAD EBOOKDirectly measuring (n,2n) cross sections on short-lived actinides presents a number of experimental challenges: scattered beam can produce neutron backgrounds in the detectors, fission can produce a substantial neutron background, and created a target with a short-lived isotope can be extremely difficult. To perform these surrogate (n,2n) cross section measurements, a silicon telescope array has been placed along a beam line at the Texas A & M University Cyclotron Institute, which is surrounded by a large tank of Gadolinium-doped liquid scintillator, which acts as a neutron detector. The combination of the charge-particle and neutron-detector arrays is referred to as NeutronSTARS. In the analysis procedure for calculating the (n,2n) cross section, the neutron detection efficiency and time structure plays an important role. Due to the lack of availability of isotropic, mono-energetic neutron sources, modeling is an important component in establishing this efficiency and time structure. This report describes the NeutronSTARS array, which was designed and commissioned during this project. It also describes the surrogate reaction technique, specifically referencing a 235U(n,2n) commissioning measurement that was fielded during the past year.