Cross section measurements for the ¹¹⁰Cd(n, γ) and ¹¹¹Cd(n, γ) reactions

In nuclear physics, the cross-section for a specific interaction between a projectile particle and a target nucleus is the main nuclear data quantity which reflects the likelihood of that specific interaction occurring. Specifically, the neutron absorption cross-section of a specific nuclide expresses how likely a projectile neutron might be absorbed by and fused to the target nuclide. This quantity is distinctive for a specific target nuclide, and it varies with the speed (kinetic energy) of the projectile neutron. There are many important applications for neutron capture cross section information. In particular, for the cadmium nuclei, neutron capture cross sections are important for non-destructive assay techniques for nuclear safeguards as well as the astrophysical r- and s-processes. In this work, we report on efforts to determine the neutron absorption cross section of ¹¹⁰Cd and ¹¹¹Cd, using ¹¹⁰Cd (n, γ) ¹¹¹Cd and ¹¹¹Cd (n, γ)¹¹²Cd reactions, respectively, in the range of 1 eV – 300 KeV neutron energies. The experiment was performed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) using the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE), which utilizes 160 BaF₂ crystal detectors spanning almost a 4π geometry. In the presentation, the setup up of the experiment, the data acquisition, and the technique of data analysis to determine the neutron absorption cross sections for ¹¹⁰Cd and ¹¹¹Cd will be discussed along with a presentation of current progress towards this ultimate goal.

Key words: neutron absorption cross section, nuclear data, DANCE.