Measurement of the ⁹³Nb(n,2n)^92mNb, ⁹³Nb(n,α)^90mY, ¹⁰⁰Mo(n,γ)¹⁰¹Mo and ⁹²Mo(n,p)^92mNb reaction cross sections at the neutron energy 14.54 MeV with covariance analysis

The ⁹³Nb (n,α)^90mY, ⁹³Nb (n, 2n)^92mNb , ¹⁰⁰Mo(n,γ)¹⁰¹Mo and ⁹²Mo (n,p)^92mNb reactions cross sections have been studied with respect to ¹⁹⁷Au (n,2n)¹⁹⁶Au monitor reaction at neutron energy of 14.54 MeV generated from the D-T reaction using Purnima neutron generator at BARC, Mumbai. The experiment were carried through methods of activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique. The uncertainties and correlations in measured cross sections were estimated using covariance analysis by considering the partial uncertainties in different attributes. The experimental work was performed by using Purnima neutron generator design for 300 kV deuteron accelerator. The deuterium gas supplied to an RF ion source through which D⁺ ions are generated were extracted, focused, accelerated and incident on a titanium-tritium (TiT) target. In the present experiment the D⁺ ion was accelerated to 180 kV which was impinged on titanium-tritium (TiT) target. The ⁹³Nb and ^NatMo foils procured from Alfa Aeaser, USA. The Nb-Mo-Au samples stack was mounted at a zero degree angle with respect to the neutron beam direction