Absolute calibration of the DANCE thermal neutron beam using sodium activation

/ Authors

V. Fischer, L. Pagani, L. Pickard, C. Grant, J. He, E. Pantic, R. Svoboda, J. Ullmann, J. Davis, L. Laboratory

and 1 more author

/ Abstract

Abstract The measurement of the neutron capture cross section as a function of energy in the thermal range requires a precise knowledge of the absolute neutron flux. In this paper a method of calibrating a thermal neutron beam using the controlled activation of sodium is described. The method is applied to the FP-14 Time Of Flight neutron beam line at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center to calibrate the beam to an uncertainty level of ± 5 %.

Journal: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2019.03.047