Systematic study of the (n,2n) reaction cross section for 121Sb and 123Sb isotopes

The cross sections of the 121Sb(n,2n) 120Sbm and 123Sb(n,2n) 122Sb reactions were measured at 12.50, 15.79 and 18.87 MeV neutron energies relative to the standard 27Al(n,α) 24Na monitor reaction using neutron activation and offline γ-ray spectrometry technique. Irradiations of the samples were performed at the BARC-TIFR Pelletron Linac Facility, Mumbai, India. The quasi-monoenergetic neutron was generated via the 7Li(p,n) reaction. Statistical model calculations were performed by nuclear reaction codes TALYS (ver. 1.9) and EMPIRE (ver. 3.2.2) using various input parameters and nuclear level density models. The cross sections of the ground and the isomeric state as well as the isomeric cross section ratio were studied theoretically from reaction threshold to 26 MeV energies. The effect of pre-equilibrium emission is also discussed in detail using different theoretical models. The present measured cross section were discussed and compared with reported experimental data and evaluation data of the JEFF-3.3, ENDF/B-VIII.0, JENDL/AD-2017 and TENDL-2019 libraries. A detailed analysis of the uncertainties in the measured cross section data was performed using the covariance analysis method. Furthermore, a systematic study of the (n,2n) reaction cross section for 121Sb and 123Sb isotopes were also performed within 14-15 MeV neutron energies using various systematic formulae. This work helps to overcome discrepancies in Sb data and illustrate a better understanding of pre-equilibrium emission in (n,2n) reaction channel.