Charged-particle emission in reactions of 15-MeV neutrons with isotopes of chromium, iron, nickel, and copper

Abstract

Cross sections have been measured for the emission of protons, deuterons, and alpha particles for 15-MeV neutrons on $^{54,56}\mathrm{Fe}$, $^{58,60}\mathrm{Ni}$, $^{50,52}\mathrm{Cr}$, and $^{63,65}\mathrm{Cu}$, as well as on natural iron, nickel, and chromium. A quadrupole spectrometer served to detect particles with energies as low as 1 MeV. For some of the targets, a substantial fraction of the charged-particle spectrum is at energies below the Coulomb barrier. Cross sections and spectra are compared with statistical and pre-equilibrium model predictions.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{50,52}\mathrm{Cr}$, Cr, $^{54,56}\mathrm{Fe}$, Fe, $^{58,60}\mathrm{Ni}$, Ni, $^{63,65}\mathrm{Cu}$, ($n$,$p$), ($n$,$d$), ($n$,$\ensuremath{\alpha}$), $E=14.8$ MeV; measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}({E}_{p},\ensuremath{\theta})$, (${E}_{d}$, $\ensuremath{\theta}$), (${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$, $\ensuremath{\theta}$), enriched and natural targets. Hauser-Feshbach analysis, deduced reaction mechanism.