Measurement of the 238U(n,γ)239U reaction cross sections in the energy range of 2.0–5.0 MeV by using a neutron activation technique

The neutron capture cross-sections of 238U at the neutron energies of 4.38 ± 0.05 MeV, 3.02 ± 0.49 MeV and 2.04 ± 0.26 MeV have been measured using the activation method and off-line gamma-ray spectrometric technique. The effects of neutron flux fluctuation, multiple scattering, flux self-shielding and gamma-ray self-absorption were corrected. The excitation function of the 238U(n,γ)239U reaction was also calculated using the TALYS-1.9 code. The experimental results were compared with the evaluated data, the theoretical data and the previous experimental data.