Neutron induced fission cross section measurements of ²⁴⁰Pu and ²⁴²Pu

¹ European Commission, JRC-Geel, 2440 Geel, Belgium
² National Physical Laboratory, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK
³ Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany

^a e-mail: francesca.belloni@cea.fr

Published online: 13 September 2017

Abstract

Accurate neutron induced fission cross section of ²⁴⁰Pu and ²⁴²Pu are required in view of making nuclear technology safer and more efficient to meet the upcoming needs for the future generation of nuclear power plants (GEN-IV). The probability for a neutron to induce such reactions figures in the NEA Nuclear Data High Priority Request List [1]. A measurement campaign to determine neutron induced fission cross sections of ²⁴⁰Pu and ²⁴²Pu at 2.51 MeV and 14.83 MeV has been carried out at the 3.7 MV Van De Graaff linear accelerator at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig. Two identical Frisch Grid fission chambers, housing back to back a ²³⁸U and a ^APu target (A = 240 or A = 242), were employed to detect the total fission yield. The targets were molecular plated on 0.25 mm aluminium foils kept at ground potential and the employed gas was P10. The neutron fluence was measured with the proton recoil telescope (T1), which is the German primary standard for neutron fluence measurements. The two measurements were related using a De Pangher long counter and the charge as monitors. The experimental results have an average uncertainty of 3–4% at 2.51 MeV and for 6–8% at 14.81 MeV and have been compared to the data available in literature.