Neutron Activation Cross Sections for Mercury Isotopes at 14.1 MeV

Fast-neutron activation cross sections for the mercury isotopes have been measured relative to the ${}_{}{}^{56}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Fe}\mathrm{}(n,p)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{56}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Mn}$ cross section. Enriched and natural-isotopic-abundance samples of Hg compounds were irradiated with 14.1±0.5-MeV neutrons. The activities produced were determined by observing the $\gamma$ radiation with a Ge(Li) detector. The following cross sections (in millibarns) were determined: ${}_{}{}^{196}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,2n)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{195m}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}$, 1060±70; ${}_{}{}^{198}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,2n)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{197m}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}$, 900±70; ${}_{}{}^{198}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,2n)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{197g}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}$, 940±100; ${}_{}{}^{198}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,p)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{198}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Au}$, 4.7±0.3; ${}_{}{}^{199}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,p)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{199}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Au}$, 4.6±0.6; ${}_{}{}^{200}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,2n)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{199m}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}$, 880±60; ${}_{}{}^{200}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}(n,\alpha ){}_{}{}^{197}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Pt}$, 0.2±0.1; ${}_{}{}^{201}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,p)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{201}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Au}$, 1.5±0.7; and ${}_{}{}^{204}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}\mathrm{}(n,2n)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{203}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}$, 2060±190.