Fast Neutron Cross-Section Measurements with the nELBE Neutron Time-of-Flight Facility


Fast Neutron Cross-Section Measurements with the nELBE Neutron Time-of-Flight Facility

Wagner, A.; Bemmerer, D.; Beyer, R.; Birgersson, E.; Ferrari, A.; Grosse, E.; Hannaske, R.; Junghans, A. R.; Kempe, M.; Kögler, T.; Marta, M.; Matic, A.; Nolte, R.; Schilling, K. D.; Schramm, G.; Schwengner, R.; Weiss, F.-P.; Yakorev, D.

At the Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf a new neutron time-of-flight facility has been set up. Fast neutrons in the energy range from 0.1 MeV to 10 MeV are produced using pulsed electron beams from a superconducting electron linear accelerator. Short beam pulses of less than 10 ps allow high-resolution time-of-flight experiments with the aim to determine interaction cross sections of neutrons with reactor structural materials and actinides at energies matching the neutron energies in fast reactors. Following experiments using a thermionic electron injector a new superconducting radio-frequency injector has been built which will allow average beam currents of 0.5 mA at a repetition rate of 500 kHz.
Meanwhile, first experiments on inelastic neutron scattering cross sections on 56Fe and total neutron cross sections on aluminium and tantalum have been performed as benchmark experiments. While photons from the de-exciting transitions are being detected using a 16-element BaF2 scintillator array, neutrons are measured with five low-threshold plastic scintillation detectors. Beam normalisation is done using a calibrated 235U fission chamber. The preparation of actinide targets for neutron induced fission cross section measurements is under way.

Related publications

  • Contribution to proceedings
    18th International Seminar on Interaction of Neutrons with Nuclei: "Neutron Spectroscopy, Nuclear Structure, Related Topics", 26.-29.05.2010, Dubna, Russia
    ISINN-18: Neutron Spectroscopy, Nuclear Structure, Related Topics, Dubna, Russia: Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 978-5-9530-0277-6, 127-134
  • Lecture (Conference)
    18th International Seminar on Interaction of Neutrons with Nuclei: "Fundamental Interactions & Neutrons, Nuclear Structure, Ultracold Neutrons, Related Topics", 26.05.2010, Dubna, Russia

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