Angular Distribution of Neutrons from Targets Bombarded by 18-Mev Deuterons

Abstract

An investigation has been made of the spatial distribution of fast neutrons from targets of Be, Na, Cu, Ta, Pb, and Th bombarded with 18-MeV deuterons. Copper was used as a threshold detector and the target thicknesses were sufficient to stop the neutrons within the target. In all cases a fairly sharp forward peak in the distribution was observed. Curves of the experimental angular distributions of the neutrons from Be and Cu are shown and compared with theoretical curves calculated from Serber's stripping theory (Phys. Rev. 72, 1008(1947)). Although there seems to be a perceptible increase in the half-width with increase in atomic number, the rate of increase is definitely not in agreement with stripping theory.