Helium production by 9.85-MeV neutrons in elemental iron, nickel, and copper and in 56Fe and 58,60,61Ni

Neutron-induced helium production, which can contribute substantially to radiation damage, is an important parameter in the choice of structural materials and other component materials for both fusion and fission reactors. Here, helium production cross sections for the elements iron, nickel, and copper and for the isotopes 56Fe, 58Ni, 60Ni, and 61Ni for 9.85-MeV neutrons have been measured by irradiation with an intense, quasi-monoenergetic neutron source followed by helium analysis with isotope dilution gas mass spectrometry. The results are in fair agreement with (n, α) cross sections measured by alpha-particle detection and integration over the alpha-particle energies and angular distributions