Cross Section Measurements of the 58Ni (n, p) 58Co and 29Si (n, α 26Mg Reactions in the Energy Range 2.2 to 3.8 MeV

The Si(n, a) Mg and Ni(n, p) Co reaction cross-sections have been measured using a surface barrier solid state detector to record the charged particles. Absolute measurements of the neutron flux were made, recording the proton recoils from a thin polyethylene radiator with the solid state detector. Both reaction cross-sections show strong fluctuations as a function of energy, which may be due to the statistical fluctuation of the level densities. Estimations of the level densities of the intermediate nuclei from the relative fluctuations of the cross section curves are in good agreement with those expected on theoretical grounds. The agreement with earlier measurements of the nickel reaction is good, while absolute values for the cross-sections on the silicon reaction have not been reported before in this energy region