Neutron-induced activation cross sections on hafnium isotopes from the threshold to 20 MeV

Here in we report on ¹⁷⁴Hf(n,2n)¹⁷³Hf, ¹⁷⁶Hf(n,2n)¹⁷⁵Hf, ¹⁷⁷Hf(n,3n)¹⁷⁵Hf, ¹⁷⁷Hf(n,p)^177gLu, ¹⁷⁸Hf(n,x)^177gLu reaction cross section measurements using the activation technique. The irradiations were carried out at the 7-MV Van de Graaff accelerator at IRMM, Geel. Quasi-monoenergetic neutrons with energies between 14.8 and 20.5 MeV were produced via the ³H(d,n)⁴He reaction at Ed = 1, 1.4, 2, 3, and 4 MeV. Both natural and samples enriched in ¹⁷⁷Hf and ¹⁷⁸Hf were used to account for the interference between reactions leading to the same product. The radioactivity of the samples was determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using a HPGe detector. The current measurements are compared with the data from other authors and evaluated nuclear data files. Cross sections for three of the studied reactions are reported for the first time.