Activation cross section and isomeric cross section ratios for the (n, 2n) reaction on 153Eu

The Eu-153(n, 2n)Eu-152(m1,m2,g) cross section was measured by means of the activation technique at three neutron energies in the range 13-15 MeV. The quasimonoenergetic neutron beam was formed via the H-3(d, n)He-4 reaction, in the Pd-300 Neutron Generator at the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP). The activities induced in the reaction products were measured using high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy. The cross section of the population of the second high-spin (8(-)) isomeric state was measured along with the reaction cross section populating both the ground (3(-)) and the first isomeric state (0(-)). Cross sections were also evaluated theoretically using the numerical code TALYS-1.8, with different level density options at neutron energies varying from the reaction threshold to 20 MeV. Results are discussed and compared with the corresponding literature.