Neutron activation cross-sections at (14.6 ± 0.3) MeV

Abstract The activation method has been used to measure 14.6 MeV cross-sections for the following nine reactions which are important for nuclear energy programmes: 89 Y(n, α) 86m Rb, 89 Y(n, n′) 89m Y, 89 Y(n, 2n) 88 Y, 107 Ag(n, n′) 107m Ag, 107 Ag(n, p) 107m Pd, 109 Ag(n, n′) 109m Ag, 109 Ag(n, p) 109m Pd, 139 La(n, p) 139 Ba, 139 La(n, α) 136 Cs. Special features included a high-intensity neutron generator ‘KORONA’ with a useable fast neutron flux of 3 × 10 14  n/m 2 s, a fast rabbit system suitable for cyclic irradiations and measurements for short-lived activities, and a γ-ray spectroscopy system with real time correction of counting losses. The results of this investigation are compared with existing experimental cross-section values. The cross-sections have also been calculated using the EMPIRE code Version 2.19 involving Hauser Feshbach statistical theory with pre-compound emission. Default inputs have been used for nuclear model parameters taken from the RIPL-2 data base. The agreement with the experimental data is generally acceptable within the given experimental uncertainty.