Eur. Phys. J. A (2019) 55: 217
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2019-12915-y

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

Photo-neutron reaction cross-sections of ⁵⁹Co in the bremsstrahlung end-point energies of 65 and 75 MeV

¹ Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 400085, Mumbai, India
² Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 41566, Daegu, Republic of Korea
³ Division of Advanced Nuclear Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 37673, Pohang, Republic of Korea

^* e-mail: gnkim@knu.ac.kr

Received: 21 June 2019
Accepted: 8 October 2019
Published online: 20 November 2019

Abstract

The flux-weighted average cross-sections for the ⁵⁹Co(, xn)^58-55Co reactions have been measured with the bremsstrahlung end-point energies of 65 and 75 MeV by using the activation method in combination with the off-line -ray spectrometry. The measured cross-sections for the , , and reactions of ⁵⁹Co at 65 MeV are , , and mb, whereas at 75 MeV are , 4.965±0.289, and mb, respectively. The ⁵⁹Co(, xn) reaction cross-sections as a function of photon energy were also theoretically simulated by using TALYS 1.9 code. Then the flux-weighted average cross-sections at different bremsstrahlung energies were obtained from the theoretical values and the literature data at lower energy based on mono-energetic photons. The present data are measured for the first time and are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical flux-weighted average values. It was found that the ⁵⁹Co(, xn)^58-55Co reaction cross-sections increase from their threshold values to a certain bremsstrahlung energy. After a certain energy, the individual ⁵⁹Co(, xn) reaction cross-sections decrease with the increase of bremsstrahlung energy due to opening of other reaction channels. These two observations indicate the role of excitation energy and its partition in different reaction channels. All the four cobalt isotopes produced from the ⁵⁹Co(, xn) reactions have medical and other applications.