Measurement of the 240Pu(n,f) cross-section at the CERN n_TOF facility: First results from experimental area II (EAR-2)

• Published in: EPJ Web of conferences Vol. 146; p. 04030
• Main Authors: Stamatopoulos, A, Tsinganis, A, Colonna, N, Vlastou, R, Kokkoris, M, Schillebeeckx, P, Heyse, J, Žugec, P, Barbagallo, M, Berthoumieux, E, Chiaveri, E, Aberle, O, Andrzejewski, J, Audouin, L, Bacak, M, Balibrea, J, Barros, S, Bečvář, F, Beinrucker, C, Billowes, J, Bosnar, D, Caamaño, M, Cano-Ott, D, Cerutti, F, Cortés, G, Cortés-Giraldo, MA, Cosentino, L, LA Damone, Deo, K, Diakaki, M, Domingo-Pardo, C, Dupont, E, Durán, I, Fernández-Domínguez, B, Ferreira, P, Frost, RJW, Furman, V, Göbel, K, Gómez-Hornillos, M B, García, A R, Gheorghe, I, Glodariu, T, González, E, Goverdovski, A, Griesmayer, E, Guerrero, C, Gunsing, F, Harada, H, Heftrich, T, Heinitz, S, Hernández-Prieto, A, Jericha, E, Käppeler, F, Kadi, Y, Katabuchi, T, Kavrigin, P, Khryachkov, V, Kivel, N, Krtička, M, Leal-Cidoncha, E, Lederer, C, Leeb, H, Lerendegui-Marco, J, Losito, R, Macina, D, Marganiec, J, Martínez, T, Mastinu, P, Mastromarco, M, Matteucci, F, Mendoza, E, Mengoni, A, Milazzo, P M, Mirea, M, Montesano, S, Musumarra, A, Nolte, R, Paradela, C, Patronis, N, Perkowski, J, Porras, JI, Quesada, J M, Reifarth, R, Riego-Perez, A, Rubbia, C, Sabaté-Gilarte, M, Saxena, A, Schmidt, S, Schumann, D, Sedyshev, P, Suryanarayana, S V, Tagliente, G, Tarifeño-Saldivia, A, Valenta, S, Variale, V, Vaz, P, Ventura, A, Vlachoudis, V, Warren, S, Weigand, M
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis EDP Sciences 01-01-2017
• Subjects: Actinides; CERN; Cross-sections; Experimental nuclear reactors; Neutron flux; Nuclear electric power generation; Nuclear fission; Nuclear fuel cycle; Nuclear models; Nuclear reactors
• DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/201714604030
• EISSN: 2100-014X
• ISSN: 2101-6275

The accurate knowledge of the neutron-induced fission cross-sections of actinides and other isotopes involved in the nuclear fuel cycle is essential for the design of advanced nuclear systems, such as Generation-IV nuclear reactors. Such experimental data can also provide the necessary feedback for the adjustment of nuclear model parameters used in the evaluation process, resulting in the further development of nuclear fission models. In the present work, the 240Pu(n,f) cross-section was measured at CERN's n_TOF facility relative to the well-known 235U(n,f) cross section, over a wide range of neutron energies, from meV to almost MeV, using the time-of-flight technique and a set-up based on Micromegas detectors. This measurement was the first experiment to be performed at n_TOF's new experimental area (EAR-2), which offers a significantly higher neutron flux compared to the already existing experimental area (EAR-1). Preliminary results as well as the experimental procedure, including a description of the facility and the data handling and analysis, are presented.