Measurement of Cu-63,Cu-65(n, gamma)Cu-64,Cu-66 and Co-59(n, gamma)Co-60 Maxwellian-averaged neutron-capture cross sections

Knowledge of the neutron capture of copper and cobalt isotopes is important for the understanding of abundances of the heavier elements produced via the weak s process. There are considerable discrepancies for the Cu-63(n, gamma)Cu-64 and Cu-65(n, gamma)Cu-66 cross-section values in the literature. New measurements of these cross sections were performed at the SARAF phase I facility using a high-power quasi-Maxwellian neutron source produced by irradiation of the liquid-lithium target (LiLiT) with an intense continuous-wave proton beam. The cross sections were measured by counting the activity of the irradiated targets. The measurement allowed us to evaluate the Cu-63(n, gamma)Cu-64, Cu-65(n, gamma)Cu-66, and Co-59(n, gamma)Co-60 Maxwellian averaged cross sections at 30 keV, obtaining values of 70.4 +/- 1.8(exp) +/- 2.4(syst), 26.8 +/- 1.5(exp) +/- 1.0(syst), and 38.1 +/- 0.9(exp) +/- 0.9(syst) mb, respectively. The results are compared with previous measurements in the literature.