Measurement of neutron reaction cross sections in carbon using a single crystal diamond detector

A single crystal diamond detector was exposed to the quasi mono-energetic neutron fields in the energy range from 7 MeV to 20.5 MeV produced by the Van de Graaff neutron generator of the EC-JRC-IRMM. Pulse Height Spectra (PHS) of the neutron interaction with the diamond (carbon) were recorded in order to derive the experimental response function of this detector to neutrons in view of its use as a compact fast neutron spectrometer. Several peaks produced by outgoing charged particles produced when neutrons interact with carbon were identified using the reaction Q-values. The corresponding nuclear reactions, such as (n,α), (n,p), (n,d) for different excitation states were identified in the PHS. The analysis of the peaks allows the derivation of some neutron reaction cross sections in carbon. The results are presented in this paper together with the associated uncertainties. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.