dc.description.abstract | The measurement of the capture cross-section of fissile elements, of utmost importance for the design of innovative
nuclear reactors and the management of nuclear waste, faces particular difficulties related to the γ-ray background generated
in the competing fission reactions. At the CERN neutron time-of-flight facility n TOF we have combined the Total Absorption
Calorimeter (TAC) capture detector with a set of three 235U loaded MicroMegas (MGAS) fission detectors for measuring
simultaneously two reactions: capture and fission. The results presented here include the determination of the three detection
efficiencies involved in the process: εTAC (n, f), εTAC (n, γ) and εMGAS(n, f). In the test measurement we have succeeded in
measuring simultaneously with a high total efficiency the 235U capture and fission cross-sections, disentangling accurately the
two types of reactions. The work presented here proves that accurate capture cross-section measurements of fissile isotopes are
feasible at n TOF. | en_US |