Measurement of the cross sections for 238U(n, γ)239U reaction in the energy range of 14.1–14.8 MeV using neutron activation method

The neutron capture reaction cross sections of 238U were measured at the neutron energies of 14.1, 14.5 and 14.8 MeV using the activation method and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique. The induced gamma-ray activities were measured using a low background gamma ray spectrometer equipped with a high resolution HPGe detector. The excitation functions of the 238U(n,γ)239U reaction were also calculated theoretically using the TALYS-1.8 program and are in general agreement with experimental data. The experimentally determined cross sections were compared with the data in the literature, and the evaluated data of ENDF/B-VIII.0, JENDL-4.0, and CENDL-3.1, as well as calculated results from TALYS-1.8.