New experimental measurement of natSe(n, γ) cross section between 1 eV to 1 keV at the CSNS Back-n facility

The ⁷⁴Se is one of 35 p-nuclei, and ⁸²Se is a r-process only nucleus, and their (n, γ) cross sections are vital input parameters for nuclear astrophysics reaction network calculations. The neutron capture cross section in the resonance range of isotopes and even natural selenium samples has not been measured. Prompt γ-rays originating from neutron-induced capture events were detected by four C₆D₆ liquid scintillator detectors at the Back-n facility of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS). The pulse height weighting technique (PHWT) was used to analyze the data in the 1 eV to 100 keV region. The deduced neutron capture cross section was compared with ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.2, and JENDL-4.0, and some differences were found. Resonance parameters were extracted by the R-matrix code SAMMY in the 1 eV-1 keV region. All the cross sections of ^natSe and resonance parameters are given in the datasets. The datasets are openly available at http://www.doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.j00113.00019.     

Measurement of 232Th (n,γ) cross section at the CSNS Back-n facility in the unresolved resonance region from 4 keV to 100 keV

The neutron capture cross section of ²³²Th was measured at the neutron time-of-flight facility Back-n of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) for the first time. The measurement was performed with 4 hydrogen-free deuterated benzene C₆D₆ liquid scintillation detectors, in the ES#2 experiment station on the beam line, at a distance of about 76 m from the neutron-production assembly. The total energy detection principle in combination with the pulse height weighting technique (PHWT) was applied to analyze the measured data. Results of the ²³²Th (n,γ) reaction cross section in the unresolved resonance region from 4 keV to 100 keV were obtained, which shows a good agreement with the existing experimental data from EXFOR, as well as with the evaluated data from the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and CENDL-3.1. In addition, the excitation function of ²³²Th (n,γ)²³³Th reaction in the unresolved resonance region was theoretically calculated by using the code TALYS-1.95. By fitting the experimental cross section and theoretical data, the average parameters in the unresolved resonance region were extracted. The datasets are openly available at http://dx.doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.j00113.00015.     

Further Analysis of Neutron Double-Differential Cross Section of n ＋ ^16O at 14.1 MeV and 18 MeV

By using a new reaction model for light nuclei, the double-differential cross section of total outgoing neutron with LUNF code for n＋^16O reactions at En=14.1 MeV and 18 MeV have been calculated and analyzed. In this paper the opened reaction channels, which have contribution to emitting the neutrons, are listed in detail. To improve the fitting results the direct inelastic scattering mechanism is involved. The calculating results agree fairly well with the experimental data at E,~ = 14.1 MeV and the deviation from calculated results and experimental data in low energy region at En= 18 MeV has been analyzed. Since the possibility of 5He has been affirmed theoretically [J.S. Zhang, Sci. Chin. G 47 （2004） 137], so 5He emission from n＋ ^16O reaction is taken into account, which plays an important role at the region of the outgoing neutron energy εn〈3 MeV in total outgoing neutron energy-angular spectrum. The calculated results indicate that the pre-equilibrium mechanism dominates the whole reaction processes, and the recoil effect in light nuclear reactions is essentially important.     

中国散裂中子源反角白光中子束流参数的初步测量

中国散裂中子源(CSNS)已于2018年5月建设完工,随后进行了试运行.其中的反角白光中子束线(Back-n)可用于中子核数据测量、中子物理研究和核技术应用等多方面的实验.本文报道对该中子束的品质参数测量实验过程以及最终实验结果.实验主要采用中子飞行时间法,利用~(235)U,~(238)U裂变室和~6Li-Si探测器测量了中子能谱和中子注量率,又利用闪烁体-互补金属氧化物半导体探测系统测量了中子束斑的剖面,得到了该束线的初步实验测量结果.其中白光中子的全能谱测量范围eV—100 MeV,给出了不确定度分析;给出了中子注量率两个实验厅位置的满功率值;给出了白光中子在直径60 mm情况下的全能区束斑.通过与模拟结果的比较探讨了以上结果的合理性,并提出了改进计划.这些实验结果为以后该束线的核数据测量和探测器标定实验奠定了基础.     

20MeV以下快中子与56Fe非弹性散射截面的分歧研究

56Fe的非弹性散射截面在核装置中子输运计算中扮演着重要的角色,但无论从实验数据还是从评价数据,非弹性散射截面都存在很大分歧,它的数据直接影响到核装置的设计、建造与运行维护。本工作从实验数据本身出发,深入分析了不同实验室测得的847 keV的γ产生截面的分歧,经转化后补充非弹性散射截面的实验空白能区,并同时利用满足全截面、去弹截面等截面自洽关系的评价方法推荐了高精度的快中子与56Fe的非弹反应截面结果。积分检验表明,新的非弹截面的改进使得评价数据与积分实验结果一致,较CENDL-3.1的评价数据结果有显著改善。Knowledge about the inelastic scattering cross section of 56Fe is very important in neutron transportation calculation. However there are great discrepancies not only between experimental data but also between evaluated data. More detail analysis was performed for inelastic scattering cross section in the fast range up to 20 MeV where there are significant differences among the main evaluated libraries, mainly caused by the different inelastic scattering cross section measurements. The large discrepancies on 56Fe(n, n₁'γ) cross section which could fill the neutron energy blank of the 56Fe(n,inl) were clarified and were converted to the inelastic scattering cross section of 56Fe. And the high-quality results were evaluated by using the unitarity constrain among total cross section, noelastic reaction and other reactions. The integral experiment result indicates that the new evaluated result of inelastic cross section brings greater improvement than that of CENDL-3.1.     

Analysis of Neutron Double-Differential Cross Section of n＋^14N at 14.2 MeV

Abstract By using a new reaction model for light nuclei, the double-differential cross section of n ^14N reactions at En=14.2 MeV has been analyzed. In the case of n ^14N reactions, the reaction mechanism is very complex, there are over one hundred opened partial reaction channels even at incident energy En=14.2 MeV. In this paper the opened reaction channels are listed in detail. With LUNF code the model calculation is performed to analyze the doubledifferential cross sections of total outgoing neutron. The calculated results agree fairly with the experimental data. The results indicate that the pre-equilibrium mechanism dominates the whole reaction processes, and the recoil egect in light nuclear reactions is essentially important. 5He emission has been considered, but it is only a small contribution to thedouble-differential cross section at incident energy En=14.2 MeV.     

氮化铀热中子截面的第一性原理计算

氮化铀（UN）因其较好的热物性和耐事故容错性成为先进动力堆的候选燃料,但目前热能区缺少可靠的UN热中子截面数据,这对于热中子反应堆物理计算是很不利的.本文基于量子力学的第一性原理,利用VASP/PHONON软件模拟计算了UN的声子态密度,以此为积分得到UN的定容比热容,并基于新制作的声子态密度,采用核截面处理程序NJOY/LEAPR,利用热中子散射理论,得到UN的S（α,β）数据,进而研究UN的热中子散射截面,并与传统压水堆的二氧化铀（UO₂）进行对比.结果表明：优化的晶格参数与数据库符合较好,UN声子态密度的声子项和光子项较UO₂的分隔更加明显,定容比热容计算结果与实验值一致,基于该声子态密度计算得到的UN中²³⁸U的非弹性散射和弹性散射截面比相同温度下UO₂中²³⁸U小,UN中N仅考虑了非相干散射部分,随着温度升高,UN弹性散射截面变小,非弹性散射变大,并在高能段趋于自由核散射截面.本文的研究结果填补了UN热中子截面数据的缺失,为下一步系统研究UN燃料在轻水堆中的中子学性能奠定了基础.     

基于中国散裂中子源反角白光中子束线的天然锂中子全截面测量

锂是熔盐堆燃料载体盐的主要材料之一,其中子核反应截面数据是熔盐堆芯中子物理设计及堆芯长期安全运行中的重要基础数据.本工作基于中国散裂中子源反角白光中子束线(CSNS Back-n)飞行时间谱仪,利用中子全截面测量谱仪(NTOX),采用透射法测量了天然锂中子全截面.实验中,中子飞行距离约为76.0 m,采用15.0 mm和8.00 mm两种厚度的天然锂金属样品,在0.4 e V—20 Me V中子能量范围内测得了统计计数较好的中子全截面.特别是在ke V及以下能区增补了实验数据,为锂的核数据评价工作提供了更加丰富和可靠的实验数据.在此基础上,采用1/v律和R矩阵理论对Me V以下能区的新测量数据进行了理论分析,获得了7Li和6Li在260 ke V能量附近的中子共振参数.     

替代反应法测量锕系核(n,f)和(n,xn)截面

对于某些中子反应截面,在直接测量上存在困难。为了获得那些对核能发展极其重要的核数据,人们提出替代反应法,即利用带电粒子代替中子进行反应,从而实现中子反应截面间接测量的方法。现有替代反应一般采用非弹激发、转移等周边反应,涉及的角动量远比中子反应的大,需要理论修正,这造成了一定的困难。有鉴于此,提出利用轻带电离子的俘获反应作为替代反应,其复合核自旋与中子反应的相当,有效避免了自旋修正的困难。根据这个思路,采用236U的（α,f）和（α,2n）反应作为替代反应,成功提取了239Pu的（n,f）和（n,2n）反应截面,与ENDFB7评价库数据在误差范围内符合较好,表明了替代反应法的优越性,可以在核数据测量中推广应用。There are always difficulties in the direct measurement of reactions induced by neutron, in order to obtain the neutron induced nuclear reaction data which are extremely important for nuclear power development, the surrogate reaction method, which uses charged particles instead of neutron, was proposed. The existing surrogate reaction method generally chooses peripheral reaction as the surrogate reaction, such as inelastic scattering excitation or transfer reaction. As a result, the angular momentum involved is always far larger than the neutron induced reaction, which causes difficulties in the theoretical calculation. Because of this, we proposed to use light-ion capture reaction as the surrogate reaction, the compound nuclei spin is similar with that of the neutron induced reaction, so that the difficulties in spin correction can be effectively avoided. Based on this idea, the 239Pu(n, f) and (n, 2n) reaction cross sections were successfully extracted using 236U(α,f) and (α,2n) reactions as the surrogate reaction. The results coincide well with the data of ENDFB7 within the error range, which shows that the surrogate reaction method has its own superiority, and it can be applied in the measurement of nuclear data.     

Systematical law of (n, γ) reaction cross sections of even-even nuclei

We have derived a formula for the neutron radiative capture cross section in the framework of a statistical model approach to nuclear reactions. Based on this formula, new systematics are established between the (n, γ) reaction cross section and the energy level density of a compound nucleus or a relative neutron excess of an even-even target nucleus for neutron incident energy above the resonance region to MeV. Good agreement with experimental data suggests that this new systematical law is helpful to analyze the experimental data.     

厚靶D（d,n）^3He反应加速器中子源的产额、能谱和角分布

给出一种计算氘钛厚靶D(d,n)3He反应加速器中子源的产额、能谱和角分布的方法,并发展了一个计算机模拟程序,程序能够计算氘束流能量小于1.0 MeV的中子源的产额、能谱和角分布.计算时使用推荐的D(d,n)3He反应截面数据和来自SRIM-2003程序的氘在氘钛靶中的阻止本领数据.给出一些典型计算结果,包括中子积分产额、中子能谱和角分布.     

Analysis of Neutron Double-Differential Cross Sections for n ＋ ^12 C Reaction Below 30 MeV

Based on the light nucleus reaction model （Nucl. Sci. Eng. 133 （1999） 218）, four aspects （neutron incident energy region, reaction channel analysis, the renewed level schemes and the optical model parameters） of n＋ ^12 C reaction are improved to calculate total outgoing neutron double-dilferential cross sections with modified LUNF code below 30 MeV. The calculated results agree fairly well with the experimental data at En = 14.1 MeV and 18 MeV. The analysis shows that the pre-equilibrium mechanism, which is exactly considered the conservation of energy, momentum and parity, dominates the whole reaction process. The contribution of the neutron emission from 5He to total energy- angular spectra is also considered properly. This modified LUNF code will be a useful tool to set up the file of neutron double-differential crass sections below 30 Me V in the neutron evaluation nuclear data library.     

95Zr(n,γ)96Zr的间接测量

95Zr（n,γ）96Zr是稳定燃烧的恒星中合成96Zr的唯一途径,对研究恒星演化和重元素合成具有重要的意义。由于95Zr半衰期为64 d,直接测量95Zr（n,γ）96Zr截面极为困难,因此,本工作采用替代比率法间接测量95Zr（n,γ）96Zr截面。本工作测量了94Zr（18O,16Oγ）96Zr和90Zr（18O,16Oγ）92Zr反应,得到了复合核96Zr*和90Zr*衰变到γ道的几率比,并利用截面已知的91Zr（n,γ）92Zr截面乘以实验所测比率,得到了E_n=0~8 MeV能区的95Zr（n,γ）96Zr中子俘获截面。95Zr(n, γ)96Zr cross section is important for the study of stellar evolution and heavy elements nucleosynthesis because the reaction is the only way to produce the 96Zr in Asymptotic giant branch stars. The direct measurement of 95Zr(n, γ)96Zr is very difficult due to the short half-life of 95Zr, 64 days. The surrogate ratio method was carried out to measure 95Zr(n, γ)96Zr cross sections. We measured the 94Zr(18O, 16Oγ)96Zr and 90Zr(18O, 16Oγ)92Zr reactions and obtained the γ-decay probability ratio of compound nuclei 96Zr* and 92Zr*. The 95Zr(n, γ)96Zr cross section is determined by the obtained ratio multiplying the known 91Zr(n, γ)92Zr cross section at E_n=0~8 MeV.     

利用气泡探测器测量激光快中子

在利用超强激光驱动中子源的研究和应用研究中,中子源的产额及其角分布至关重要.我们在星光Ⅲ号激光装置上采用气泡探测器对强激光驱动的中子源的产额及其角分布进行了测量.利用超强皮秒激光与碳氘薄膜靶相互作用产生高能氘离子束撞击次级碳氘靶,通过氘-氘核反应产生准单能快中子.实验发现中子束的发射具有一定的方向性,在入射氘离子的传输方向上中子束具有更高的强度,测量得到的中子束最大强度为5.13×10⁷ n/sr.利用实验测量的氘离子能谱和角分布对中子束角分布进行了理论计算,结果与实验测量基本一致.     

Isomerism in Ag and non-yrast levels in Pd and Rh, studied in β decay

The β decay of ⁹⁶Ag (Z=47,N=49) was investigated by measuring positrons, X rays as well as β-delayed protons and γ rays. The γ radiation was studied by means of germanium detectors and a NaI total-absorption spectrometer. Two β-decaying isomers in ⁹⁶Ag were established with half-lives of 4.40(6) and 6.9(6) s and tentative spin–parity assignments of (8⁺) and (2⁺), respectively. For both isomers, the intensities of β transitions to low-lying levels of ⁹⁶Pd (Z=46,N=50) and β-delayed proton decays to levels in ⁹⁵Rh (Z=45,N=50) were measured. Several new ⁹⁶Pd levels were firmly established. The level energies, their γ decays and the Gamow–Teller decay of ⁹⁶Ag are compared to shell-model predictions. A new low-lying level in ⁹⁵Rh was found at 680 keV excitation energy. Through a comparison with low-lying states of N=50 isotones, this level is interpreted as the first excited 7/2⁺ state built on the proton 9/2⁺ ground state. The assignments of further excited states in ⁹⁵Rh are discussed.     

10Be中子谱因子的实验研究

核谱因子描述了单粒子轨道中核子的占有状态,在核结构和核天体物理中有重要的应用。目前国际上10Be中子谱因子的研究结果存在3倍左右的差异。本实验利用中国原子能科学研究院HI-13串列加速器的高灵敏度Q3D磁谱仪,对13C（9Be,10Be）12C反应角分布进行了精确测量。通过实验数据和扭曲波玻恩近似（DWBA）计算结果进行比较,导出了10Be的中子谱因子。该结果与转动不变壳模型理论及曾敏尔等的评价结果基本一致。利用该结果可以得到9Be（n,γ）10Be的天体物理反应率,评价该反应在相关天体环境中对CNO循环种子核12C的影响,为核结构和核天体物理提供可靠数据。Spectroscopic factor describes the overlap between the initial and final states and gives some information on the occupancy of a given single-particle orbiting around nuclear. It plays an important role in a variety of topics on nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics. Nowadays, several experiments have been performed to study the neutron spectroscopic factor of 10Be, but the results have a big difference with each other. In order to clarify this discrepancy, new measurement is highly needed. In this work, the angular distribution of 13C(9Be,10Be)12C reaction was measured at the Q3D magnetic spectrometer of the HI-13 tandem accelerator, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing. And then, the neutron spectroscopic factor of 10Be was derived by normalizing the calculational differential cross-sections with the distorted-wave Born approximation to the experimental data. The present value is in good agreement with that obtained by Tsang et al. and also in good agreement with that derived from translationary invariant shell model calculation. One can use this result to calculate the 9Be(n, γ)10Be reaction rates and calculate its influence to the production of 12C.     

Analysis of E1 radiative neutron capture based on the optical model

The optical model formula of Lane and Mughabghab for E1 radiative neutron capture has been applied to resonance capture in ⁵⁶Fe and ⁹⁰Zr. It is shown that in general the optical model predicts the contributions to the radiative widths which are correlated with the neutron widths, except for a depletion factor representing the proportion of E1 single-particle strength remaining near the neutron threshold. The degree of correlation between measured and calculated radiative widths is related to the ratio of the variances of these widths. This enables an estimate of the factor . It is shown that the theoretical value for the ratio of the radiative to neutron widths is to a good approximation independent of the imaginary part of the optical potential. The calculated radiative width is thus well defined. The results are compared with those from the valence model and from experiment. The direct background contribution is found to be negligible compared to the average compound cross section. The contribution of d-waves to the radiative capture cross section is discussed.     

Spectra of Halo Nuclei

Based on the self-similar-structure shell model a size resonance model, which includes the size resonance of halo neutron orbit and the correlation size resonance of core surface, is proposed. In terms of the size resonance model the excited spectra and the soft dipole resonances for ¹¹Be and ¹¹li are reproduced.     

应用于热中子的nTHGEM探测器性能研究

随着脉冲强流中子源的发展,对高性能中子探测器提出了更大的挑战,3He气体资源严重短缺和高计数率中子探测器的迫切需求,已开始制约着中子源应用技术的发展。中国科学院高能物理研究所针对中子的特殊性,专门研发了一种陶瓷基材的nTHGEM（neutron Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier）探测器用于中子探测。基于nTHGEM的中子探测器具有高计数率、高位置与时间分辨能力、增益大、制作工艺简单,且便于大面积制作的特点,是目前国际上发展替代3He探测技术的重要方向之一。为了详细研究nTHGEM探测器的本身性能,本工作使用55Fe放射源研究了nTHGEM探测器的增益、计数率稳定性、能量分辨率等关键参数与nTHGEM膜间电压、收集场强、漂移场强之间的关系,优化了nTHGEM探测器在不同工作气体中的工作参数,为后续进一步优化nTHGEM探测器设计和工艺奠定了基础。实验结果表明,单层nTHGEM探测器在Ar（90%）+CO₂（10%）混合气体中增益能达到103,探测器计数率稳定性良好。另外,还在中国原子能科学研究院的CARR反应堆（China Advanced Research Reactor）上进行了中子束流实验,通过狭缝测量到探测器位置分辨率为（3.01±0.03）mm（FWHM）,已经接近高气压3He MWPC中子探测器水平。With the development of pulsed intense neutron source, the high-performance neutron detector poses more challenges. The severe shortage of 3He gas resources and the urgent need of neutron detector with high counting rate have begun to restrict the neutron source application technology development. In response to the particularity of neutrons, the Institute of High Energy Physics of CAS developed a nTHGEM(neutron Thick Gaseous Electron Multiplier)of ceramic substrate for neutron detection. The neutron detector based on nTHGEM is one of the most important directions for the development of alternative 3He detection technology in the world at present because of its high counting rate, high position and time resolution, large gain, simple fabrication process and large area production. In order to study the properties of nTHGEM detector in detail, this paper studied the relationship between nTHGEM detector's gain, counting rate stability, energy resolution and other key parameters and nTHGEM film voltage, collection field strength and drift field strength using 55Fe radioactive source, Optimized the working parameters of nTHGEM detector in different working gases, which laid the foundation for further optimization of nTHGEM detector design and process. The experimental results show that the single-layer nTHGEM detector has a gain of 103 in a Ar(90%)+CO₂(10%) mixed gas with good counting rate stability. In addition, a neutron beam experiment was performed on the China Advanced Research Reactor at the China Institute of Atomic Energy, and the position resolution of the detector was (3.01±0.03) mm (FWHM) measured by slits. Its performance is close to the high pressure 3He MWPC neutron detector level.     

曲率能对热力学驱动力的影响

为了研究曲率能对核裂变热力学驱动力（TDF）的影响,首先利用包含曲率能的截断版小液滴模型计算了200Pb和224Th的位垒和熵垒,对比液滴模型的计算结果表明:曲率能未改变224Th的位垒鞍点,却将200Pb的位垒鞍点向后推移。能级密度参数的形变关系越强则两系统的熵垒鞍点越靠近基态。为了进一步探究曲率能如何通过位势和熵势影响TDF,以断前中子多重性（PNM）为探针,通过两种方案进行了模拟,结果表明:曲率能降低了两系统的位势驱动力,而增强了其熵势驱动力。结合PNM的计算表明,前一种效应要比后一种效应明显,因此曲率能总体减弱了200Pb和224Th的TDF,进而延缓了两系统的核裂变进程。In order to study the effect of curvature energy on the thermodynamic driving force (TDF) of nuclear fission, the potential and entropy barrier of 200Pb and 224Th systems are calculated by using the truncated droplet model including curvature energy, respectively. Compared with the liquid drop model, the results show that curvature energy does not affect the saddle point of 224Th, but pushes the saddle point of 200Pb backwards the ground state. The stronger the deformation dependence of the level density parameter is, the closer the saddle point of entropy barrier for these systems is to the ground state. In order to further investigate how curvature energy affects TDF through nuclear potential and entropy, respectively, the prescission neutron multiplicity (PNM) is selected as the probe, some simulations based on two schemes are carried out. The results show that curvature energy reduces the potential driving force of 200Pb and 224Th, and enhances the entropy potential driving force. Combined with the calculations and analyses of PNM, the former effect is more obvious than the latter, so curvature energy weakens TDF of two systems on whole, thus delaying the nuclear fission process of two systems.