Doubly radiative thermal neutron capture in 2H and 16O: Experiment and theory

Measurements and calculations are presented for the cross sections for two-photon emission following thermal neutron capture in ²H and ¹⁶O. Upper limits for σ_2γ were measured in both cases. For ²H, σ_2λ = 8 ± 15 μb, for γ-rays in the energy region 700 < E_γ < 5550 keV. A detailed threeparticle calculation gives σ_2γ^tot = 26 nb. For ¹⁶O, the experimental result is σ_2γ = 3 ± 19 μb for 1200 < E_γ < 2943 keV. A single-particle, direct-capture calculation for ¹⁶O gives σ_2γ^tot = 41 nb. Contributions from excitation of the giant dipole state of the core change this result by ± 16 %. In a separate measurement the total cross section for ¹⁶O(n, γ)¹⁷O was measured to be 202 ± 28 μb. Branching ratios of (82 ± 3)% and (18 ± 3)% were determined for decays to the 3055 and 871 keV levels of ¹⁷O, respectively.