Neutron capture cross section measurement for the 174Yb(n,γ)175Yb reaction at 0.0372 eV energy

• The 174Yb(n,γ)175Yb reaction cross section was measured at 0.0372 eV energy.
• Neutron Diffraction Facility (NDF) was used to select the 0.0372 eV neutron energy.
• Thin gold foils were used as neutron flux monitor via the 197Au(n,γ)198Au reaction.

The neutron capture cross section for the 174Yb(n,γ)175Yb reaction at 0.0372 eV energy was measured using the activation of Ytterbium oxide (Yb2O3) target powder pressed in pellet and sandwiched between two thin gold foils used as neutron flux monitor, via the 197Au(n,γ)198Au reference reaction. The neutron irradiations were performed at the horizontal channel of Es-Salam nuclear research reactor and the capture cross section of σ ≈ (59.07 ± 2.3) b was measured for the first time at this energy after the correction for neutron self-shielding and gamma attenuation effects. The measured value was compared to the evaluated cross section reported in EAF-2010 nuclear data library. The thermal cross section was also determined at 0.0253 eV neutron energy and compared to those recommended by Mughabghab (2006) and Simonits et al. (1996).