Spin-flip probability for 7.6 MeV neutrons scattered inelastically (Q=-2.23 MeV) by a sulfur target

The spin-flip probability for 7.6 MeV (ΔE=0.250 MeV) neutrons scattered inelastically (Q=-2.23 MeV) from naturally occuring sulfur has been measured at scattering angles between 400 and 1600 using a γ-correlated neutron time-of-flight method. The scattering by the natural sulfur target was assumed to be characteristic of 32S. The results of the measurement were compared with an incoherent sum of statistical compound-nucleus (CN) and direct-interaction (DI) contributions. The DI contributions were obtained using either a DWBA calculation or the coupled-channel (CC) formalism. Neither combination of CN plus DI contributions reproduced the experimental spin-flip probability angular distribution which was peaked near 1100 with a maximum value of 0.33+-0.08. (Auth.)