Determination of differential elastic and inelastic and double-differential neutron scattering cross sections of 93Nb at energies between 7.10 MeV and 14.10 MeV

Differential cross sections of elastic and inelastic neutron scattering on 93Nb were determined in the energy range from 7.10 MeV to 14.10 MeV at eight incident energies. The data were derived by comparing the net time-of-flight spectra with calculated spectra using a realistic Monte Carlo simulation. The time-of-flight measurement was accompanied by extensive and careful calibrations. The niobium cross sections have been normalized to hydrogen scattering. The disturbing breakup scattering fraction of the non-monoenergetic DD neutron source can be subtracted after having been calculated by a Monte Carlo simulation. The data for such a calculation are checked and adjusted using an additional pure breakup neutron source based on the 4He(d,np)4He reaction. By proper subtraction of the breakup fractions, double-differential cross sections can be obtained for neutron emission energies down to 1.5 MeV. Partial inelastic cross sections could be determined for a number of low-lying levels or level groups of 93Nb. Angle-integrated cross sections were derived by fitting Legendre polynomial expansions to the measured angular distributions using least-squares methods. The results of this work have been compared with those of other authors and with the ENDF/B-VI evaluation. (orig.)