The spectrum-averaged cross-section investigation of tin and zinc foils in the LR-0 reactor reference field

Spectrum averaged cross-sections (SACS) are an important tool for validating nuclear data, particularly in standard neutron fields such as the LR-0 reactor reference field. In 2022, a comprehensive set of measurements was conducted at the Research Centre Řež to investigate (n,p) reactions in zinc foil and reactions leading to 117mSn in tin foil, i.e. 116Sn(n,γ)117mSn and 117Sn(n,n')117mSn rections. Tin was studied for its potential inclusion in neutron dosimetry detector sets, while zinc was analyzed due to its relevance in radiopharmaceutical isotope production. Moreover, reactions 92Mo(n,p)92Nb and 58Ni(n,X)57Co were investigated. Experimental results were compared with calculated SACS obtained using MCNP6.2 and cross-section data from the IRDFF-II and ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data libraries. The SACS of the reactions leading to 117mSn was determined as (79.83 ± 8.81) mb, with the contribution of the 116Sn(n,γ)117mSn reaction estimated at 12.4 %. The SACS of 67Zn(n,p)67Cu was (2.52 ± 0.12) ×10−1 mb, which deviated from calculations by approximately 120 %. The experimental SACS of 92Mo(n,p)92Nb and 57Ni(n,X)57Co were in good agreement with calculations and with SACS obtained from the 235U(nth, fiss.) prompt fission neutron spectrum (PFNS), with values of (1.91 ± 0.07) mb and (6.81 ± 0.41) ×10−2 mb, respectively. These reactions were measured for the first time in the benchmarked LR-0 neutron field.