Double Differential Cross Sections for Light-Ion Production from C, O, Si, Fe and Bi Induced by 175 MeV Quasi-Monoenergetic Neutrons
Résumé
Accelerator-driven incineration of nuclear waste may play an important role in future scenarios both in countries investing in the nuclear renaissance and in countries deciding to phase out nuclear energy. However, development of accelerator-driven systems requires new and more reliable neutron-induced crosssection data in the intermediate region from 20 to 200 MeV. In this energy region the entire structural properties of the target nucleus may participate in the nuclear reaction, and the nuclear data community expressed the need to obtain benchmark experimental data to improve present models and evaluated nuclear data libraries [1]. A series of neutron induced cross-section measurements at 96 MeV have been conducted at the The Svedberg Laboratory (TSL), Uppsala [2]. However, experimental data are still scarce above 100 MeV. In this perspective, we have measured cross-sections for light-ion production in the interaction of 175 MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutrons with C, O, Si, Fe and Bi. Measurements were conducted at TSL using the Medley spectrometer [3]. We will present inclusive double-differential crosssections for production of protons, deuterons, tritons, 3He and -particles, at eight angles in the laboratory system, from 20 deg to 160 deg. Experimental data are compared with model calculations obtained with INCL4.5-Abla07, TALYS, a modified version of JQMD [4], and MCNP6. All models are able to reproduce the trends in the experimental data, however no approach gives a satisfactory representation of all cross sections data. The most crucial aspect is to describe the formation and emission of composite particles in the pre-equilibrium state. We will discuss reaction mechanisms and we will propose a modified version of the Kalbach systematics that improves TALYS results for proton- and neutron-induced reactions at energies above 100 MeV [5].