https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2017-12261-2
Letter
Prospects for direct neutron capture measurements on s-process branching point isotopes
1
Dpto. de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
2
Instituto de Física Corpuscular, (CSIC-Universidad de Valencia), E-46071, Valencia, Spain
3
Institut für Kernphysik, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
4
Dpto. de Ingeniería Electrónica, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
5
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, 60323, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
* e-mail: carlos.guerrero@cern.ch
Received:
7
February
2017
Accepted:
23
March
2017
Published online:
10
May
2017
The neutron capture cross sections of several unstable key isotopes acting as branching points in the s -process are crucial for stellar nucleosynthesis studies, but they are very challenging to measure directly due to the difficult production of sufficient sample material, the high activity of the resulting samples, and the actual 
measurement, where high neutron fluxes and effective background rejection capabilities are required. At present there are about 21 relevant s-process branching point isotopes whose cross section could not be measured yet over the neutron energy range of interest for astrophysics. However, the situation is changing with some very recent developments and upcoming technologies. This work introduces three techniques that will change the current paradigm in the field: the use of 
-ray imaging techniques in experiments, the production of moderated neutron beams using high-power lasers, and double capture experiments in Maxwellian neutron beams.
© The Author(s), 2017
