Neutron capture measuremetns on minor actinides at the n_TOF facility at CERN: past, present and future

Abstract

The successful development of advanced nuclear systems for sustainable energy production and nuclear waste management depends on high quality nuclear data libraries. Recent sensitivity stud- ies and reports [1-3] have identi ed the need for substantially improving the accuracy of neutron cross-section data for minor actinides. The n TOF collaboration has initiated an ambitious exper- imental program for the measurement of neutron capture cross sections of minor actinides. Two experimental setups have been constructed for this purpose: a Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC) [4] for measuring neutron capture cross-sections of low-mass and/or radioactive samples and a set of two low neutron sensitivity C6D6 detectors for the less radioactive materials.