Neutron capture reaction cross-section data processing and resonance parameter analysis of <sup>197</sup>Au based on white light neutron source
Authors: Luo Hao-Tian , Zhang Qi-Wei , Luan Guang-Yuan , Wang Xiao-Yu , Zou Chong , Ren Jie , Ruan Xi-Chao , He Guo-Zhu , Bao Jie , Sun Qi , Huang Han-Xiong , Wang Zhao-Hui , Wu Hong-Yi , Gu Min-Hao , Yu Tao , Xie Li-Kun , Chen Yong-Hao , An Qi , Bai Huai-Yong , Bao Yu , Cao Ping , Chen Hao-Lei , Chen Qi-Ping , Chen Yu-Kai , Chen Zhen , Cui Zeng-Qi , Fan Rui-Rui , Feng Chang-Qing , Gao Ke-Qing , Han Chang-Cai , Han Zi-Jie , He Yong-Cheng , Hong Yang , Huang Wei-Ling , Huang Xi-Ru , Ji Xiao-Lu , Ji Xu-Yang , Jiang Wei , Jiang Hao-Yu , Jiang Zhi-Jie , Jing Han-Tao , Kang Ling , Kang Ming-Tao , Li Bo , Li Chao , Li Jia-Wen , Li Lun , Li Qiang , Li Xiao , Li Yang , Liu Rong , Liu Shu-Bin , Liu Xing-Yan , Mu Qi-Li , Ning Chang-Jun , Qi Bin-Bin , Ren Zhi-Zhou , Song Ying-Peng , Song Zhao-Hui , Sun Hong , Sun Kang , Sun Xiao-Yang , Sun Zhi-Jia , Tan Zhi-Xin , Tang Hong-Qing , Tang Jing-Yu , Tang Xin-Yi , Tian Bin-Bin , Wang Li-Jiao , Wang Peng-Cheng , Wang Qi , Wang Tao-Feng , Wen Jie , Wen Zhong-Wei , Wu Qing-Biao , Wu Xiao-Guang , Wu Xuan , Yang Yi-Wei , Yi Han , Yu Li , Yu Yong-Ji , Zhang Guo-Hui , Zhang Lin-Hao , Zhang Xian-Peng , Zhang Yu-Liang , Zhang Zhi-Yong , Zhao Yu-Bin , Zhou Lu-Ping , Zhou Zu-Ying , Zhu Dan-Yang , Zhu Ke-Jun , Zhu Peng , Zhu Xing-Hua ,   Key Laboratory of Nuclear Data, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China,   Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China,   Spallation Neutron Source Science Center, Dongguan 523803, China,   State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Beijing 100049, China,   State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China,   State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China,   Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China,   Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi’an 710024, China,   University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China,   Department of Engineering and Applied Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China,   School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China,   Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Co.Ltd, Rongcheng 264312, China
Published: January 2024

Neutron capture reaction is one of the neutron reactions and plays an important role in using reactor control rods and shell materials, designing nuclear device structures, and studying nuclear astrophysics S processes and element origins. The 4π BaF<sub>2</sub> detection device has advantages such as high time resolution, low neutron sensitivity, and high detection efficiency, thus making it suitable for measuring neutron radiation capture reaction cross-section data. In order to fill the gap in our neutron capture reaction data in the keV energy range and improve their accuracy, the Key Laboratory of Nuclear Data at the Chinese Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) has established a Gamma Total Absorption Facility (GTAF), which consists of 28 hexagonal BaF<sub>2</sub> crystals and 12 pentagonal BaF<sub>2</sub> crystals to form a spherical shell with an external diameter of 25 cm and an internal diameter of 10 cm, covering 95.2% of the solid angles. The Back-n beam line of the Chinese Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is a back-streaming white beam line that covers neutron energy ranging from a few eV to several hundred MeV, making it suitable for measuring neutron capture cross-sections. The reaction cross-section data of <sup>197</sup>Au is measured by using GTAF on the Back-n beam line. The measurement data are preliminarily background deducted through energy screening, PSD method, and crystal multiplicity screening. Subsequently, the background is analyzed and deducted based on the measurement data of <sup>nat</sup>C and empty samples, and the yield of <sup>197</sup>Au capture reaction is obtained. Resonance parameters are a set of parameters extracted from experimental data to describe the resonance curve, which can eliminate the influence of experimental conditions on resonance data and are more important than the cross-section obtained from experiments. The resonance energy, neutron resonance width, and gamma resonance width parameters of <sup>197</sup>Au at 1–100 eV are fitted by using the SAMMY program. From the comparison between the resonance curves obtained from experimental measurements and the resonance parameters obtained from fitting with the ENDF/B-VIII.0 database, it can follow that the experimental measurement results are in good agreement with the database, nevertheless, there exist some differences in the resonance parameter, which may be due to the GTAF energy resolution, Back-n neutron spectrum measurement accuracy, and the experimental background deduction method. Our next work is to identify the sources of difference.