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.     

光中子源上吸收片功能研究

15 MeV电子直线加速器驱动的光中子源装置,将用于中国科学院战略性先导科技专项“钍基熔盐堆”中的核数据初步测量工作、中子探测器的研制和反应堆相关材料的辐照研究等。光中子源的中子能谱是连续的,中子能量通过中子飞行时间法测量得到,需要利用吸收片确认中子吸收峰,刻度飞行时间,计算等效飞行距离,扣除实验本底等,而实验本底的扣除对最终总截面计算有很大的影响。因此通过Geant4蒙特卡罗模拟软件构建了包括中子源、吸收片在内的模拟实验环境;研究了不同吸收片的吸收谱和吸收片厚度的关系,同理论计算值进行了比较,给出了推荐的吸收片厚度值;模拟计算了中子飞行时间谱,并和实验测量结果比较,确定中子等效飞行距离为5.70 m。Geant4的理论计算也可以模拟出多吸收片本底函数曲线,可用于实验数据的本底扣除和误差分析。实验测量、模拟分析以及理论公式计算的吸收片厚度和中子飞行时间参数得到了完全一致的结果,验证了实验测量的可靠性。A photo-neutron source driven by a 15 MeV electron LINAC is built for the "Strategic Priority Research Program" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences-the "thorium-based molten salt reactor" project to conduct the nuclear data measurement work,develop neutron detector and carry out reactor material irradiation studies.Since the neutron energy spectrum is continuous,the neutron energy is measured by the time of flight (TOF) method,and neutron filters are needed to confirm absorption peaks,calibrate the TOF,calculate the equivalent flight distance,and remove the experimental background which has great influence on the calculation accuracy of the total cross section.Based on the Monte Carlo simulation tool,Geant4 a simulation environment is set up,including neutron source and neutron filters,to study the energy absorption spectra and thickness of different filters and recommended data for the thickness are provided.The neutron TOF spectra are simulated and compared with experimental measurement,deciding the equivalent TOF distance to be 5.7 m.Geant4 can also simulate the background curve of multiple filters and be used to remove background and analyze errors for the experimental data.All the experiments,simulation and theoretical calculation show consistent results on filter thickness and neutron TOF parameters,indicating the accuracy of the measurement.     

中子反应总截面测量系统关联不确定度的模拟

在15 MeV电子加速器驱动的白光中子源装置上进行了铍材料的中子总反应截面测量，测量结果与已有实验数据和ENDF/VII.1数据库的评价数据基本符合。为了得到由于加速器束流波动、飞行路径测量、靶厚度测量以及获取系统死时间等引起的测量系统的关联不确定度，利用Geant4模拟软件对整个实验装置、实验过程进行了模拟，经过对模拟中使用的中子反应总截面与模拟计算得到截面的比较分析，得到了实验系统关联不确定度的估计值。在模拟中采用了局部区域增加权重的方法来降低模拟运算时间。对模拟得到的中子飞行时间谱与实验测量得到的飞行时间谱进行了比较，并且对探测器处的中子产额也进行了比较，以此来验证模拟程序的可靠性。     

TMSR白光中子源关键核数据实验进展

钍铀燃料循环核数据的精度和可靠性直接关系着钍基熔盐堆的安全性和经济性。目前大多数核数据都是基于铀钚燃料循环进行开发，若直接用在钍基熔盐堆上将会出现核设计不确定度较高的问题。为了提高钍基熔盐堆物理设计所需核数据的适用性，中国科学院上海应用物理研究所自行设计并建造了紧凑型的15 MeV电子加速器驱动的白光中子源(Photoneutron Source，PNS)，用于开展钍铀燃料循环核数据的实验测量。该装置已通过技术验收，并进行了一系列关键核素的核数据测量，检验了现用核数据的可靠性，为相关核素的核数据评价与改进提供了基础实验数据。     

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.     

TMSR白光中子源本底屏蔽设计

为了满足钍基熔盐堆对核数据的需求，中国科学院上海应用物理研究所自行设计并建造了紧凑型的15 MeV电子加速器驱动的白光中子源。电子直线加速器、中子产生靶以及探测器系统处于同一个实验大厅，中子/伽马射线本底较高，原有屏蔽并不能满足在低能区进行热中子物理实验测量的低中子本底需求。为了降低热中子本底，提高在热区的测量能力，需要对中子源进行局部屏蔽。根据调试运行经验以及模拟计算结果，分析了中子伽马射线本底的来源，利用MCNP5模拟计算了混凝土、铅、含硼聚乙烯对中子/伽马射线的屏蔽效果，优化设计了局部屏蔽方案。模拟计算结果显示，该屏蔽方案可将热中子本底降低三个量级，伽马本底降低两个量级。屏蔽后的实验测量结果表明，探测器处的有效热中子与本底热中子的比值达到约100:1，屏蔽效果显著，为后续在热中子能区顺利开展中子物理测量实验奠定了基础。     

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.