Estimation of double differential angle-dependent neutron production cross sections from tritons on 197Au at energies from 5.97 to 19.14 MeV

TL;DR

This paper estimates detailed neutron production cross sections from triton interactions with gold at various energies, using experimental data and Monte Carlo corrections, and provides comprehensive data for nuclear reaction databases.

Contribution

It presents new measurements and evaluations of double differential neutron cross sections from tritons on gold, including corrections and data fitting methods.

Findings

Neutron production cross sections vary with triton energy and angle.

Data show anisotropy in high-energy neutron spectra.

Results are consistent with independent neutron yield measurements.

Abstract

Estimated cross sections for neutron production from triton bombardment of gold are deduced from measurements of triton interactions with gas targets that used gold as a triton beam stop material. Differential cross sections for production of neutrons from 5.97-, 7.47-, 10.45-, 16.41- and 19.14-MeV tritons on 197Au were evaluated. Corrections for the neutron interaction in gold, in the target structure and in the air of the flight path were obtained by means of a Monte Carlo technique. Uncorrelated scale uncertainties range from 24 to 41% whereas those of double differential cross sections range from 0.2 to 5%. Based on these cross section data, calculation of neutron yield at 0o from fully stopped tritons at 20.22 MeV agree with an independent measurement. Least-squares fits with a gamma distribution model indicate an anisotropy in the high energy portion of the neutron spectra. Legendre polynomial fits of differential cross sections are reported. All neutron cross section data are made available through the Experimental Nuclear Reaction Data (EXFOR) library at international data centers.