Thermal neutron induced charged particle reactions on^58,59,61Ni

Abstract

The thermal neutron induced charged particle spectroscopy on^{58, 59, 61}Ni (target nuclei) was done at the 87 m thermal neutron curved guide of the Grenoble high flux reactor. In the⁵⁹Nu(n, α)⁵⁶Fe reaction two lines showed up corresponding toα-particle transitions to the ground and first excited states in⁵⁶Fe with σ_α0=13.1±1.1 b and σ_α1 =0.188±0.01 b. A value of σ_γα≦13 mb was obtained for the two-step⁵⁹Ni(n, γα)⁵⁶Fe reaction. The technique to unfold theγα-spectrum and to get information on the primary low energyγ-rays is given and the present and our previous data on the¹⁴³Nd(n, γα)¹⁴⁰Ce reaction are analysed. For the⁵⁹Ni(n, p)⁵⁹Co reaction _p0=1.34±0.18b,σ _p1<0.30 b were determined. The cross-sections for the⁵⁸Ni(n,α)⁵⁵Fe and⁶¹Ni(n,α)⁵⁸Fe reactions were σ_α0≦30 Μb and σ_α0≦30 Μb respectively; these andσ _p1upper limit value are about 20–1500 times lower than the existing data. The other results are compared with the existing data and the differences are explained. The experimental data are compared with the values obtained from the statistical model.