Fission Cross-section Measurements of U-233, Cm-245 and Am-241,Am-243 at CERN n_TOF Facility

Abstract

Neutron-induced fission cross-sections of minor actinides have been measured using the n_TOF white neutron source at CERN. Geneva, as part of a large experimental program aiming at collecting new data relevant for nuclear astrophysics and for the design of advanced reactor systems. The measurements at n_TOF take advantage of the innovative features of the n_TOF facility, namely the wide energy range, high instantaneous neutron flux and good energy resolution. Final results on the fission cross-section of U-233, (245)cm and Am-243 from thermal to 20 MeV are here reported, together with preliminary results for Am-241. The measurement have been performed with a dedicated Fast Ionization Chamber (FIC), a fission fragment detector with a very high efficiency, relative to the very well known cross-section of U-235, measured simultaneously with the same detector.