Improved Mo 94 neutron resonance parameters from neutron capture and transmission measurements at n_TOF and GELINA

We report high-resolution measurements of the Mo 94 ( n , γ ) Mo 95 cross section in the neutron energy range from a few eV up to about 250 keV, performed at the n_TOF facility (CERN), and of the Mo 94 ( n , tot ) cross section up to 32 keV, measured at GELINA (JRC Geel). A combined R -matrix analysis of capture and transmission data yields significantly improved neutron-resonance parameters for Mo 94 . A total of 186 resonances were observed in this analysis, of which 127 were not present in latest evaluations. The resulting Maxwellian-averaged cross section at stellar temperatures relevant to the slow neutron-capture process ( s -process) is approximately 25% lower than previous evaluations and literature values. To assess the astrophysical impact of the revised cross section, we performed s -process nucleosynthesis calculations for low-mass asymptotic giant branch stars. Despite the substantial reduction in the Mo 94 ( n , γ ) Mo 95 rate, the final yields vary by only 3%–4%. This demonstrates that the isotopic budget of Mo 94 in asymptotic giant branch stars is primarily governed by the branching flow at Nb 94 rather than by the neutron-capture destruction on Mo 94 itself. The new cross section thus helps disentangle nuclear cross-section uncertainties from branching-flow effects in the s -process production of Mo 94 .