Elastic and Inelastic Scattering of 7- to 14-MeV Neutrons from Lithium-6 and Lithium-7

Abstract

Differential cross sections are reported for the elastic and discrete inelastic scattering of neutrons from 6Li and 7Li. Source neutrons were provided by the 2H(d,n)3He reaction in the energy range from 7 to 14 MeV. Scattered neutrons were detected at a distance of 3.9 m at angles from 25 to 160 deg in 5-deg intervals. Total cross sections were obtained for elastic scattering from 6Li and for the sum of elastic and 0.478-MeV state inelastic scattering from 7Li. Inelastic scattering cross sections were obtained for the 2.18-MeV state in 6Li and the 4.63-MeV state in 7Li. The results are compared to ENDF/B-IV predictions and to previous measurements. Inelastic scattering to the 4.63-MeV state in 7Li accounts for less than half of the total tritium production cross section for neutron interactions with 7Li.