International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology 2007
DOI: 10.1051/ndata:07283

Neutron cross section measurements of elemental molybdenum and resonance parameter analysis

G. Leinweber¹, D.P. Barry¹, R.C. Block², J.A. Burke (ret.)¹, Y. Danon², N.J. Drindak¹ and B.E. Moretti<sup>3

1</sup>  Lockheed Martin Corporation, P.O. Box 1072, Schenectady, New York 12301-1072, USA
²  Gaerttner Laboratory, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180-3590, USA
³  United States Military Academy, Department of Physics, West Point, New York 10996, USA

leinwg@rpi.edu

Published online: 21 May 2008

Abstract
The purpose of this work was to measure the neutron cross sections of molybdenum accurately. The Rensselaer Polytechnic (RPI) LINAC facility was used to measure the neutron interaction cross sections of molybdenum. Neutron capture time-of-flight measurements were made at 25 m with a sodium iodide multiplicity detector. Transmission measurements were performed at 25 m flight with a ⁶Li glass scintillation detector. Nine different thicknesses of elemental molybdenum metal samples ranging from 0.051 mm (0.002 in.) to 6.35 mm (0.250 in.) were measured in either capture or transmission. Data from two transmission and one capture measurement have been analyzed using the multilevel R-matrix Bayesian code SAMMY. Throughout the energy spectrum, 10-2000 eV, resonance widths have been attained. Between one and two keV, the width assignments of overlapping resonances were obtained and compared to ENDF/B-VII.0. ENDF/B-VII.0 nuclear radii fit the transmission data between resonances better than those of ENDF/B-VI.8. Below 600 eV, the inclusion of capture data in the fit enhanced our ability to determine radiation widths compared to using transmission data alone.

© CEA 2008