Numerical simulation of the energy spectrum of recoil nuclei and α particles from interactions of fast neutrons with diamond

The energy spectra of recoil nuclei and α particles produced in interactions of fast (8.0–14.1 MeV) neutrons with diamond were simulated. Differential cross sections for five channels (nuclear reactions) of elastic and inelastic collisions were used. It was shown that a substantial distortion of the simulated energy spectrum could be attributed to the reaction 12C(n, n′3α). The spectrum of α0 particles was obtained for different opening angles in the reaction 12C(n, α 0)9Be.