https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2013-13143-3
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
Neutron capture studies of 206Pb at a cold neutron beam
1
European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Retieseweg 111, B - 2440, Geel, Belgium
2
Centre for Energy Research, Institute for Energy Security and Environmental Safety, H-1525, Budapest, Hungary
3
SCK CEN, Boeretang 200, B - 2400, Mol, Belgium
4
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nuclear Data Section, Wagramerstraße 5, PO Box 100, A-1400, Vienna, Austria
5
Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), Via Martiri di Monte Sole 4, I-40129, Bologna, Italy
* e-mail: peter.schillebeeckx@ec.europa.eu
Received:
9
July
2013
Accepted:
10
October
2013
Published online:
19
November
2013
Gamma-ray transitions following neutron capture in 206Pb have been studied at the cold neutron beam facility of the Budapest Neutron Centre using a metallic sample enriched in 206Pb and a natural lead nitrate powder pellet. The measurements were performed using a coaxial HPGe detector with Compton suppression. The observed -rays have been incorporated into a decay scheme for neutron capture in 206Pb . Partial capture cross sections for 206Pb(n,
) at thermal energy have been derived relative to the cross section for the 1884keV transition after neutron capture in 14N . From the average crossing sum a total thermal neutron capture cross section of
mb was derived for the 206Pb(n,
) reaction. The thermal neutron capture cross section for 206Pb has been compared with contributions due to both direct capture and distant unbound s-wave resonances. From the same measurements a thermal neutron-induced capture cross section of
mb was determined for the 207Pb(n,
) reaction.
© SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2013