DETERMINATION OF MINOR ACTINIDES FISSION CROSS SECTIONS BY MEANS OF TRANSFER REACTIONS

PACS; International audience; We present an original method that allows to determine neutron-induced cross sections of very short-lived minor actinides. This indirect method, based on the use of transfer reactions, has already been applied with success for the determination of the neutron-induced fission and capture cross section of 233Pa, a key nucleus in the 232Th-233U fuel cycle. A recent experiment using this technique has been performed to determine the neutron-induced fission cross sections of 242,243,244Cm and 241Am which are present in the nuclear waste of the current U-Pu fuel cycle. These cross sections are highly relevant for the design of reactors capable to incinerate minor actinides. The first results will be illustrated.