Determination of the cross section for (n,p) and (n,α) reactions on 165Ho at 13.5 and 14.8 MeV

Activation cross-sections for the Ho-165(n,p)Dy-165 and Ho-165(n,alpha)Tb-162 reactions were measured by means of the activation method at 13.5 and 14.8 MeV, to resolve inconsistencies in existing data. A neutron beam produced via the H-3(d,n)He-4 reaction was used. Statistical model calculations were performed using the nuclear-reaction codes EMPIRE-3.2 Malta and TALYS-1.6 with default parameters, at neutron energies varying from the reaction threshold to 20 MeV. Results are also discussed and compared with some corresponding values found in the literature. The calculational results on the Ho-165(n,alpha)Tb-162 reaction agreed fairly well with experimental data, but there were large discrepancies in the results for the Ho-165(n,p)Dy-165 reaction. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.