Investigation of ⁵⁸Ni (n, p)⁵⁸Co reaction cross-section with covariance analysis*

Abstract

The excitation function of the $\rm {}^{58}Ni ( n, p ){}^{58}Co$ reaction is measured by using the well-established neutron activation technique and $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy. Neutrons in the energy range of 1.7 to 2.7 $\rm MeV$ were generated using the $\rm ^{7}Li(p, n)$ reaction. The neutron flux was measured by using the standard $\rm {}^{115}In ( n, n^{'} ){}^{115m}In$ monitor reaction. The results of neutron spectrum averaged cross-section of $\rm {}^{58}Ni ( n, p ){}^{58}Co$ reactions are compared with existing cross-section data available in the EXFOR data library as well as with various evaluated data libraries like ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.3, JENDL-4.0 and CENDL-3.2. Theoretical calculations were performed using the nuclear reaction code TALYS. Various nuclear level density (NLD) models were tested and compared with the present findings. Realistic NLDs are also obtained through the spectral distribution method (SDM). The cross-section results are reported along with the absolute errors by investigating uncertainty propagation, using the covariance technique. The corrections for $\gamma$-ray true coincidence summing, low-energy background neutrons and $\gamma$-ray self attenuation are performed. The experimental cross-section obtained in the present study is consistent with previously published experimental data, evaluated libraries and theoretical calculations carried out using the TALYS code.