Eur. Phys. J. A (2012) 48: 116
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2012-12116-4

Special Article - Tools for Experiment and Theory

Neutron production by stopping 55 MeV deuterons in carbon and heavy water

¹ GANIL, Bld H. Becquerel, B.P. 55027, 14076, Caen Cedex 05, France
² Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble, LPSC, Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble 1, CNRS/IN2P3, F-38026, Grenoble Cedex, France
³ JYFL, Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland

^* e-mail: pete@tlabs.ac.za

Received: 18 July 2012
Revised: 11 August 2012
Accepted: 22 August 2012
Published online: 12 September 2012

Abstract

Neutron production by stopping 55 MeV deuterons in thick carbon and heavy-water targets has been measured by the activation method. The geometry was close to the one defined for the SPIRAL2 uranium-carbide target in the initial phase. A comparative method for obtaining the neutron flux has been used and is presented in detail. The neutron flux generated by 55 MeV deuterons on carbon is 2.3 times the flux at the deuteron energy of 40 MeV. The flux further increases by a factor 1.4 when using a heavy-water target. These results are discussed in the context of an energy upgrade of the SPIRAL2 driver accelerator.