Measurements of fission fragment properties using RPI's lead slowing down spectrometer

Abstract
A double sided Frisch-gridded fission chamber for use in RPI's lead slowing-down neutron spectrometer (LSDS) is being developed at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute. Placing this fission chamber in the high neutron flux of the LSDS allows the measurement of the energy dependent, neutron induced fission cross sections, as well as the mass and kinetic energy of the fission fragments of various small samples. The fission chamber consists of two anodes shielded by Frisch grids on either side of a single cathode. The sample is located in the center of the cathode and is made by depositing small amounts of actinides dissolved in solution on very thin films. The chamber was successfully tested and calibrated using 0.4 ng of ²⁵²Cf and mass distributions were compared to previous work. As a proof of concept, the chamber was then placed in the LSDS to measure, simultaneously, the neutron induced fission cross section and fragment mass and energy distributions of 24.9 µg of ²³⁵U. The mass distribution as a function of neutron energy was examined and it may be possible to see changes in the mass distribution as a function of neutron energy. This process will enable the measurement of isotopes that are not available in large enough quantities (sub-micrograms) or with small fission cross sections (microbarns).