Photo-neutron cross-section of Zr-96 using bremsstrahlung radiation with end point energies of 10 and 12.5 MeV

The Zr-96(gamma, n)Zr-95 reaction cross-section was experimentally determined at end point bremsstrahlung energies of 10 and 12.5 MeV using off-line gamma-ray spectrometric technique. The cross-section increases sharply from the end point energy of 10 to 12.5 MeV, which indicates the role of excitation energy. The reaction cross-section as a function of photon energy was also calculated theoretically using the TALYS 1.2 computer code. The flux weighted average value of the Zr-96(gamma, n)Zr-95 reaction cross-section for the end-point bremsstrahlung energies of 10 and 12.5 MeV was also calculated using the experimental and theoretical data of mono-energetic photons to compare with the present data. The cross-section given in the present work at end-point bremsstrahlung energy of 10 MeV is closer to the flux-weighted value of TALYS but higher than the literature data. On the other hand, at 12.5 MeV, it is higher than the flux weighted value of TALYS and the literature data.