Design and construction of a 9 MeV γ-ray source based on capture of moderated plutonium–beryllium neutrons in nickel

A γ-Ray Detector Based on a 3” LaBr3:Ce:Sr Crystal With SiPM Readout for 80 keV–16 MeV Energy Range With Position Sensitivity for Doppler Correction

“…The measurement was performed in the 9 MV FN Pelletron Tandem Accelerator laboratory at the IFIN-HH Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering in Mȃgurele (Bucharest, Romania) [17]- [19]. The 15.110(3) MeV γ rays were produced in the ground state decay of a 1 + nuclear level of 12 C. This level in 12 C is below the neutron and the proton separation energy (S n = 18.7, S p = 15.9 MeV) and, once populated, it decays directly to the ground state with a probability of the order of ≃ 90% (there is also an α decay branch but it is very small) [20]- [22]. The excited nucleus of 12 C was created from the one-neutron evaporation channel of excited 13 C, which was in turn populated in the fusion-evaporation reaction between a beam of 11 B at 19 MeV of energy and D. The fusion cross-section of the reaction is approximately 900 mb [23], [24].…”

“…The 15.110(3) MeV γ rays were produced in the ground state decay of a 1 + nuclear level of 12 C. This level in 12 C is below the neutron and the proton separation energy (S n = 18.7, S p = 15.9 MeV) and, once populated, it decays directly to the ground state with a probability of the order of ≃ 90% (there is also an α decay branch but it is very small) [20]- [22]. The excited nucleus of 12 C was created from the one-neutron evaporation channel of excited 13 C, which was in turn populated in the fusion-evaporation reaction between a beam of 11 B at 19 MeV of energy and D. The fusion cross-section of the reaction is approximately 900 mb [23], [24]. Because of the inverse kinematic of the used reaction, the residues are expected to move with a v/c of the order of 5%.…”

“…The 15.11 MeV γ rays were produced using the fusion reaction 11 B + D performed at the 9 MV Tandem Accelerator laboratory of IFIN-HH at Mȃgurele (Bucharest) in Romania. The detector was first calibrated using standard low-energy calibration sources and a PuBeNi composite source [12], [13]. The 15.11 MeV γ rays were measured with and without a lead vertical collimator 1 -2 cm large and 10 cm thick.…”