Cross section of (n,2n) reaction on the low-abundance isotopes ^156,158Dy at 13.5 and 14.8 MeV

Activation cross-sections for the ¹⁵⁶Dy(n,2n) ¹⁵⁵Dy and ¹⁵⁸Dy(n,2n)^157m+gDy reactions with low-abundance target isotopes (¹⁵⁶Dy:0.056 %, ¹⁵⁸Dy:0.095 %) were measured by means of the activation technique and a coaxial HPGe c-ray detector at 13.5 and 14.8 MeV. Theoretical excitation functions were calculated using the nuclear-reaction codes EMPIRE-3.2 Malta and TALYS-1.6 with default parameters, at neutron energies varying from the reaction threshold to 20 MeV. The results were discussed and compared with some corresponding values found in the literature, with the evaluation data in ENDF/B-VII.1, JENDF-4.0, and JEFF-3.2 libraries, and with the estimates obtained from a published empirical formula based on the statistical model. (author)