Methods to subtract the effect of the decay of different nuclear reaction products on the cross-section measurements and their application to the reactions studied

Two methods used to subtract the effect of the decay of different nuclear reaction products on the cross-section measurement of the studied nuclear reaction were given. Taking the cross-section measurement of the ${}^{91}\mathrm{Zr}(n,p){}^{91\mathrm{m}}\mathrm{Y}$ reaction as an example, the accurate and reliable cross section of the ${}^{91}\mathrm{Zr}(n,p){}^{91\mathrm{m}}\mathrm{Y}$ reaction in the neutron energy range of 13.5–14.8 MeV was measured by using the activation technique and the above two methods. Moreover, the excitation function in the neutron energies from the threshold to 21 MeV was calculated by using the nuclear theoretical model program system talys–1.9 with the adjusted relevant parameters. The measured cross-section values were discussed and compared with previous experiments by other researchers and with the theoretical values based on talys–1.9. The experimental values obtained by the above two methods were highly consistent within experimental error, and at some neutron energies they were consistent, within experimental error, with those of the fitting line of previous experiments at the corresponding energies, and were also consistent with those of theoretical excitation curve at the corresponding energies. The obtained theoretical excitation curve can match most of the experimental data.

Figure 1

Simplified decay scheme of ${}^{91}\mathrm{Sr}$ and ${}^{91}\mathrm{Y}$.

Figure 2

Cross section of the ${}^{91}\mathrm{Zr}(n,p){}^{91\mathrm{m}}\mathrm{Y}$ reaction.