Study of (n, p), (n, \(\alpha \)) and (n, 2n) reactions of stable and radio-nuclides produced in a reactor environment

Abstract

The knowledge of the neutron-induced reaction cross-section is important, especially, for the fusion and fission reactor technologies. In the absence of experimental data or for cases where measurements are difficult, theoretical predictions of nuclear cross-sections are needed to be improved upon using refined model calculations or effective semi-empirical formulas. Accurate, physics-based modelling of neutron-induced reactions is key to all nuclear science and technology applications. In the present work, the excitation functions for (n, p), (n, \(\alpha \)) and (n, 2n) reactions up to 20 MeV for stable isotopes of Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, etc. are calculated using the EMPIRE-3.2 nuclear reaction model code using optimised values of input parameters. The experimental data available in EXFOR database for these stable isotopes are reproduced to determine the optimum parameters. The optimised parameters, so obtained, are then used to calculate the reaction cross-sections for a series of unstable nuclides for the incident neutron energy of 1–20 MeV. The calculated cross-sections are compared with the evaluated data available in literature (ENDF). We have also compared our results with the estimated cross-sections using available empirical formulas. Based on the calculations, we recommend a reliable set of parameters to estimate the (n, p), (n, \(\alpha \)) and (n, 2n) cross-sections for unstable nuclides in the mass region \(A \sim \) 40–70.