Determination of the damage-energy cross section of 14-MeV neutrons from critical-property changes in irradiated Nb/sub 3/Sn

Conference · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7332711

Snead, Jr, C L; Parkin, D M; Guinan, M W; Van Konynenburg, A

Short samples of single-core and 19-core multifilament wires in bronze jackets have been irradiated with 14-MeV neutrons to a total fluence of 2 x 10/sup 18/ n/cm/sup 2/ using the Livermore Rotating Target Neutron source. At fluences of 1 and 2 x 10/sup 18/ n/cm/sup 2/ the critical temperature was measured, and also the critical current as a function of applied transverse magnetic field up to 175 kG to ascertain the radiation-induced changes in these properties. Measurements as a function of fluence of identical samples following reactor-neutron irradiation established the baseline for comparison of the 14-MeV results. By comparing the changes observed and relating them to the spectrum-averaged damage-energy cross section for the HFBR neutrons, a value for the damage-energy cross section for 14-MeV neutrons has been deduced of 313/sup +50//sub -80/ bkeV. Comparison of the critical current vs applied field for the two types of irradiation indicates that the flux-pinning characteristics are different for equal damage energies. This can be explained by a larger cascade region produced by the 14-MeV neutrons relative to those produced by fission-reactor neutrons with a coupled reduced resistivity increase for 14-MeV neutrons with respect to fission-reactor neutrons for equivalent damage energies.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA); Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA); California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-02-0016
• OSTI ID: 7332711
• Report Number(s): BNL-21953; CONF-760935-38; TRN: 77-004865
• Resource Relation: Conference: 2. topical meeting on the technology of controlled nuclear fusion, Richland, WA, USA, 21 Sep 1976
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
TIN ALLOYS
CROSS SECTIONS
MEV RANGE 10-100
NEUTRON REACTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
ALLOYS
BARYON REACTIONS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETS
ENERGY RANGE
EQUIPMENT
HADRON REACTIONS
MAGNETS
MEV RANGE
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
360106* - Metals & Alloys- Radiation Effects
700202 - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Magnet Coils & Fields
420201 - Engineering- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices