# Absolute Calibration of the DANCE Thermal Neutron Beam using Sodium Activation

## TL;DR

This paper presents a new sodium activation method for precisely calibrating thermal neutron beams, achieving a calibration accuracy of ±5% at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center.

## Contribution

A novel sodium activation technique for absolute calibration of thermal neutron beams with improved precision.

## Key findings

- Calibration precision of ±5% achieved
- Method successfully applied to FP-14 neutron beam line
- Enhanced accuracy in neutron flux measurement

## Abstract

The measurement of the neutron capture cross-section as a function of energy in the thermal range requires a precise knowledge of the absolute neutron flux. In this paper a new method of calibrating a thermal neutron beam using the controlled activation of sodium is described. The method is applied to the FP-14 Time Of Flight neutron beam line at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center to calibrate the beam to a precision of $\pm5$%.