Elastic neutron-deuteron scattering in the energy range from 2.5 MeV to 30 MeV

The differential cross section of the elastic neutron-deuteron scattering has been measured in the energy range from 2.5 MeV to 30 MeV using a continuous energy neutron beam and a deuterated scintillating scattering sample. Angular distributions were determined including also backward angles near 1800. The comparison with the total cross section for the neutron-deuteron interaction, which was also measured between 2 MeV and 40 MeV with high accuracy, has been used for the extraction of the inelastic cross section. The overall uncertainties of most data points are below 6%. This is an increase in accuracy by a factor of 2 to 10 compared to earlier measurements. The high quality of our results allows conclusive comparison with pd data and with the predictions of exact three-nucleon calculations. In addition, Coulomb correction procedures to Faddeev calculations can be tested. (orig.)