Neutron Capture and Total Cross-Section Measurements and Resonance Parameter Analysis of Zirconium up to 2.5 keV

Neutron capture and transmission measurements were performed by the time-of-flight technique at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute LINAC using metallic zirconium samples. The capture measurement was made at the 25-m flight station with a multiplicity-type capture detector, and the transmission total cross-section measurements were performed at the 25-m flight station with a ⁶Li glass scintillation detector. Resonance parameters were determined by a combined analysis of all 11 data sets (4 capture and 7 transmission) using the least-squares multilevel R-matrix code REFIT.

The present measurements were undertaken to resolve discrepancies between common usage (ENDF/B-VI) and the recent measurements of Salah et al. for the 300-eV zirconium doublet. The present measurements support the Salah et al. conclusions. Specifically, the results confirm the assignment of J = 3 for the ⁹¹Zr 292.5-eV resonance and include all significant resonances up to 2.5 keV. The zirconium resonance parameters and _n, determined in the present measurement, are compared with the ENDF/B-VI parameters.