Structural material nuclear data basic research

Abstract

The nuclear data evaluation for deuteron-induced reactions and α-particle emission by neutron interactions is addressed within “Nuclear data for fusion technology, from basic research to full-scale applications.” The status and open questions related to these subjects in the area of nuclear data for fusion technology, specifically for the nuclear design of the ITER fusion device, the European DEMO fusion reactor, and the IFMIF-DONES Irradiation Facility, are briefly reviewed. A firm demand for accurate cross-sections of reactions induced by neutrons and deuterons exists, in this respect, within a more enlarged energy range up to 50 MeV than for fission applications. The current requirements are closely met by the TENDL Evaluated Nuclear Data Library, settled using the TALYS nuclear model code, which is one of the most widely used codes in basic research and applications including nuclear fusion technology. However, further improvement of this data library has recently been suggested, while, with respect to fission applications, not only the aforementioned energy range but also the diversity of nuclear data for fusion technologies is plainly stretched. Consequently, the progress of nuclear data activities conducted more recently on deuteron-induced reactions and α-emission by neutron interactions, throughout the European Fusion Program and subsequent to previous achievements within F4E and EUROfusion programs, is wholly summarized.