Scattering of 9.0-MeV neutrons by Al, Si, Fe, Ni, and Co

Abstract
Measurements have been made of the differential elastic and inelastic scattering cross sections for 9.0-MeV neutrons scattered by Al, Si, Fe, Ni, and Co. These measurements were made on natural samples using a time-of-flight spectrometer with a shielded and biased liquid organic scintillator and pulse-shape discrimination. Corrections for finite geometry were made to all data using both analytical and Monte Carlo methods. Relative uncertainties in the measured cross sections are typically 2-3% and normalization uncertainties are 3-4%. Optical-model parameters were determined by fitting the elastic data. These parameters were used to determine the (NZ)A dependence of the real potential strength near A=60 and to compare elastic cross sections calculated using an incoherent sum of statistical-model and direct interaction contributions to the measured inelastic cross sections.