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Accurate multiplicities of prompt fission neutrons emitted in neutron-induced fission on a large energy range are essential for fundamental and applied nuclear physics. Measuring them to high precision for radioactive fissioning nuclides is, however, an experimental challenge. In this work, we extract the average prompt-neutron multiplicity emitted in the 239 Pu (n, f) reaction as a function of the incident-neutron energy, over the range 0.7-700 MeV. We used a novel technique, which allowed us to minimize and correct for the main sources of bias and thus achieve unprecedented precision. At low energies, our data validate, for the first time, the ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data evaluation with an independent measurement and reduce the evaluated uncertainty by up to 60%. This work opens up the possibility of measuring, with high precision, prompt fission neutron multiplicities on highly radioactive nuclei relevant for energy production.

Low energy fission of 234,235,236,238U and 237,238Np radioactive beams, provided by the GSI/FRS facility, has been studied using the R3B/SOFIA setup. The latter allows, on an event-by-event basis, to simultaneously identify, in terms of their mass and atomic numbers, the fissioning nucleus in coincidence with both fission fragments after prompt-neutron emission. This presentation reports on new results on elemental, isobaric and isotopic yields.

233U is the fissile nuclei in the Th-U fuel cycle with a particularily small neutron capture cross setion which is on average about one order of magnitude lower than its fission cross section. Hence, the measurement of the 233U(n, γ) cross section relies on a method to accurately distinguish between capture and fission γ-rays. A measurement of the 233U α-ratio has been performed at the n_TOF facility at CERN using a so-called fission tagging setup, coupling n_TOF 's Total Absorption Calorimeter with a novel fission chamber to tag the fission γ-rays. The experimental setup is described and essential parts of the analysis are discussed. Finally, a preliminary 233U α-ratio is presented.

233U is of key importance among the fissile nuclei in the Th-U fuel cycle. A particularity of 233U is its small neutron capture cross-section, which is on average about one order of magnitude lower than the fission cross-section. The accuracy in the measurement of the 233U capture cross-section depends crucially on an efficient capture-fission discrimination, thus a combined set-up of fission and γ-detectors is needed. A measurement of the 233U capture cross-section and capture-to-fission ratio was performed at the CERN n_TOF facility. The Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC) of n_TOF was employed as γ-detector coupled with a novel compact ionization chamber as fission detector. A brief description of the experimental set-up will be given, and essential parts of the analysis procedure as well as the preliminary response of the set-up to capture are presented and discussed.

We report on the second SOFIA experiment, dedicated to the fission yields of 236U*, analog to 235U(n,f). The measurement is based on the inverse kinematics method, using a relativistic, secondary beam of 236U. Both fission fragments are identified in mass and charge in the SOFIA recoil spectrometer. The obtained isotopic yields are compared with existing spectroscopy measurements and the elemental yields are used to discuss the treatment of the even-odd effect with energy in nuclear data libraries.

The knowledge of prompt fission γ-ray emission has been of major interest in reactor physics since few years, but it is also important in the understanding of the fission process. We present here measurements of prompt γ-ray spectra emitted in the fission of 238U. A simple experimental method was used to measure the prompt fission gamma-ray spectrum up to 10 MeV. In this approach, the gamma-rays are measured with a bismuth germanate (BGO) detector which offers two significant advantages with respect to other gamma-ray detectors: a high peak-to-total ratio and a high efficiency. The prompt fission neutrons are rejected by the time-of-flight technique between the BGO detector and a fission trigger given by a fission chamber. Prompt fission gamma-ray spectra were measured for 1.7, 5.2 and 15.6 MeV incoming neutron energies at the CEA, DAM, DIF Van de Graaff accelerator.

233U plays the essential role of fissile nucleus in the Th-U fuel cycle. A particularity of 233U is its small neutron capture cross-section which is about one order of magnitude lower than the fission cross-section on average. Therefore, the accuracy in the measurement of the 233U capture cross-section essentially relies on efficient capture-fission discrimination thus a combined setup of fission and γ-detectors is needed. At CERN n_TOF the Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC) coupled with compact fission detectors is used. Previously used MicroMegas (MGAS) detectors showed significant γ-background issues above 100 eV coming from the copper mesh. A new measurement campaign of the 233U capture cross-section and alpha ratio is planned at the CERN n_TOF facility. For this measurement, a novel cylindrical multi ionization cell chamber was developed in order to provide a compact solution for 14 active targets read out by 8 anodes. Due to the high specific activity of 233U fast timing properties are required and achieved with the use of customized electronics and the very fast ionizing gas CF4 together with a high electric field strength. This paper describes the new fission chamber and the results of the first tests with neutrons at GELINA proving that it is suitable for the 233U measurement.

We performed an experiment dedicated to the accurate isotopic yield measurement of fission fragments over the whole range. SOFIA exploits the inverse kinematics technique: using heavy ion beams at relativistic energies, fission is induced by Coulomb excitation in a high-Z target. The fragments are emitted forward and both of them are identified in charge and mass. The setup will be presented, as well as preliminary spectra.

Fission is an extremely complex mechanism that requires a dynamical approach to describe the evolution of the process in terms of intrinsic and collective excitations of the nuclear constituents. In order to determine these effects a complex experimental setup was mounted at GSI, which allowed us for the first time the full identification in charge and mass of all fission fragments thanks to a magnetic separation and the use of the inverse kinematic technique. Moreover, we also measured the neutron multiplicities and the light-charged particles emitted in coincidence with fission. These complete kinematic measurements will be used to define sensitive observables to dissipative and transient effects in fission. In this manuscript we present the first results for the total fission cross sections.

Two fission experiments have been performed at GANIL using 238U beams at different energies and light targets. Different fissioning systems were produced with excitation energies from 10 to 230 MeV and their decay by fission was investigated with GANIL spectrometers. Preliminary fission-fragment isotopic distributions have been obtained. The evolution with impinging energy of their properties, the neutron excess and the width of the neutron-number distributions, gives important insights into the dynamics of fusion-fission mechanism.

The measurement of neutron-induced cross sections of short-lived nuclei is extremely difficult due to the radioactivity of the samples. The surrogate reaction method is an indirect way of determining cross sections for nuclear reactions that proceed through a compound nucleus. This method presents the advantage that the target material can be stable or less radioactive than the material required for a neutron-induced measurement. We have successfully used the surrogate reaction method to extract neutron-induced fission cross sections of various short-lived actinides. In this work, we investigate whether this technique can be used to determine neutron-induced capture cross sections in the rare-earth region.

The measurement of neutron-induced cross sections of short-lived nuclei is extremely difficult due to the radioactivity of the samples. The surrogate reaction method is an indirect way of determining cross sections for nuclear reactions that proceed through a compound nucleus. This method presents the advantage that the target material can be stable or less radioactive than the material required for a neutron-induced measurement. We have successfully used the surrogate reaction method to extract neutron-induced fission cross sections of various short-lived actinides. In this work, we investigate whether this technique can be used to determine neutron-induced capture cross sections in the rare-earth region.

The surrogate reaction method is an indirect way of determining cross sections for nuclear reactions that proceed through a compound nucleus. In this method, the compound nucleus is produced via an alternative (surrogate) reaction and its decay (by fission, gamma or neutron emission) is measured in coincidence with the outgoing appropriate charged particle. This technique has enabled neutron-induced cross sections to be extracted for nuclear reactions on short-lived nuclei that otherwise could not be measured. The CENBG collaboration has successfully applied this technique to determine the neutron-induced fission cross sections of several short-lived nuclei such as 233Pa, 242,243Cm and 241Am. These data are very important for the development of the Th/U cycle and for minor actinide transmutation. We currently investigate whether this powerful technique can also be used to determine the neutron-induced capture cross sections. For this purpose we will use the surrogate reaction 174Yb(3He,pγ)176Lu to infer the well known 175Lu(n,γ) cross section and compare the results with the directly measured neutron-induced data. The experimental set-up and the first results will be presented. We will also discuss our future plans to use the surrogate method for extracting actinides (n,γ) cross sections.

Determination of neutron-capture cross sections of short-lived nuclei is opening the way to understand and clarify the properties of many nuclei of interest for nuclear structure physics, nuclear astrophysics and particularly for transmutation of nuclear wastes. The surrogate approach is well-recognized as a potentially very useful method to extract neutron cross sections for low-energy compound-nuclear reactions and to overcome the difficulties related to the target radioactivity. In this work we will assess where we stand on these neutron-capture cross section measurements and how we can achieve the short-lived Minor Actinides nuclei involved in the nuclear fuel cycle. The CENBG collaboration applied the surrogate method to determine the neutron-capture cross section of 233Pa (T1/2 = 27 d). The 233Pa (n,γ) cross section is then deduced from the measured gamma decay probability of 234Pa compound nucleus formed via the surrogate 232Th(3He,p) reaction channel. The obtained cross section data, covering the neutron energy range 0.1 to 1 MeV, have been compared with the predictions of the Hauser-Feshbach statistical model. The importance of establishing benchmarks is stressed for the minor actinides region. However, the lack of desired targets led us to propose recently the 174Yb (3He,pγ) reaction as a surrogate reaction for the (n,γ) predetermined benchmark cross section of 175Lu. An overview of the experimental setup combining gamma ray detectors such as Ge and C6D6 in coincidence with light charged particles ΔE-E Telescopes will be presented and preliminary results will be discussed.

In the framework of nuclear waste incineration and design of new generation nuclear reactors, experimental data on fission probabilities and on fission fragment yields of minor actinides are crucial to design prototypes. Transfer-induced fission has proven to be an efficient method to study fission probabilities of actinides which cannot be investigated with standard techniques due to their high radioactivity. We report on the preliminary results of an experiment performed at GANIL that investigates fission probabilities with multi-nucleon transfer reactions in inverse kinematics between a 238U beam on a 12C target. Actinides from U to Cm were produced with an excitation energy range from 0 to 30 MeV. In addition, inverse kinematics allowed to characterize the fission fragments in mass and charge. A key point of the analysis resides in the identification of the actinides produced in the different transfer channels. The new annular telescope SPIDER was used to tag the target-like recoil nucleus of the transfer reaction and to determine the excitation energy of the actinide. The fission probability for each transfer channel is accessible and the preliminary results for 238U are promising.

The production cross sections of neutron-rich fission residues produced in reactions induced by a 238U beam impinging onto Pb and Be targets were investigated at the Fragment Separator (FRS) at GSI using the inverse kinematic technique. These data allowed us to discuss the optimum energies in fission for producing the most neutron-rich residues.