Examination of the surrogate ratio method for the determination of the 93Zr(n,γ)94Zr cross section with 90,92Zr(18O,16O)92,94Zr reactions.

The relative γ-decay probability ratios of the neutron resonance states in 94Zr and 92Zr populated via two-neutron transfer reactions, 92Zr(18O,16O)94Zr and 90Zr(18O,16O)92Zr, have been measured to test the validity of the surrogate ratio method (SRM) in determining the (n, γ) reaction cross section. The cross sections of the 93Zr(n,γ)94Zr reaction are derived from the experimentally obtained ratios and the cross sections of the 91Zr(n,γ)92Zr reaction in the equivalent neutron energy range of En=0-8MeV. The deduced cross sections of 93Zr(n,γ)94Zr reaction agree with the directly measured ones in the low-energy region, and with the evaluated ENDF/B-VII.1 data at higher energies of En>3MeV. The agreement supports the concept of the SRM method to indirectly determine the (n,γ) reaction cross sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]