Studies on neutron-induced reaction with MEDLEY at GANIL

by Lucas DE ARRUDA, 1st year PhD student at GANIL

Measuring new and reliable data on neutron-induced reactions is essential to improve theoretical models and enhance our understanding of nuclear-reaction mechanisms. It has significant consequences on developing future technologies and several applications, such as neutron dosimetry, radiation therapy, reactor applications, and single-event effects in electronics. The Medley setup, now installed in the NFS facility (spiral-2, GANIL), was used for the past years with quasi mono-energetic beams (QMN) to provide double differential cross-sections data for light-ion (p, d, t, 3He, and α) production from several target materials (C, O, Si, Fe, Pb, and U). In this project, we will use it with a wider energy distribution (2 MeV – 40 MeV) neutron beam to study in detail neutron induced reactions from C, Cr, and Fe, which also produces light-ions, providing double differential cross-sections measurements. One region of interest, with incoming particles from 15 MeV to 40 MeV, is known for the gradual “washing-out” effect of the nuclear structure towards more energetic neutrons and also for the opening of several reaction channels. In several cases, the cross sections are not well known, and the data are scarce. Moreover, the validity of some statistical models, such as TALYS, does not describe the current experimental data available for higher neutron energies, so the new data provided by this work can also be used to improve these models. In this presentation, I will introduce my Ph.D. research, present some results, the ongoing work, and perspectives for the next few years.