Activation cross-sections for the 185 Re(n, 2n) reaction and the isomeric cross-section ratio of 184m,g Re in the neutron energy range of 13–15 MeV

Abstract

Cross-sections and their isomeric ratios (σ m / σ g ) for the 185 Re(n, 2n) 184m Re and 185 Re(n, 2n) 184g Re reactions in the 13–15 MeV range were measured. The neutron activation technique was applied using the K-400 neutron generator at the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP). Natural Re samples and Nb monitor foils were activated jointly to determine the reaction cross-section and the incident neutron flux. The 3 H(d, n) 4 He reaction was used to generate the neutron beam. The pure cross-section of the ground state was derived from the absolute cross-section of the metastable state using residual nuclear decay analysis. Numerical calculations using the nuclear-model-based computer code TALYS-1.8 with six level density models were used to obtain 185 Re(n, 2n) 184m, g Re reaction excitation functions and their isomeric cross-section ratios. Finally, experimentally determined cross-sections were compared with corresponding literature data.