Neutron Fission Cross Sections for ²³¹Th, ²³³Th, ²³⁵U, ²³⁷U, ²³⁹U, ²⁴¹Pu, and ²⁴³Pu from 0.5 to 2.25 MeV Using (t, pf) Reactions

Experiments were performed using the (t, p) stripping reaction followed by fission to provide experimental measurements of fission probabilities. The neutron-induced fission cross section of the corresponding even-odd neutron targets can be deduced from these experimental (t, pf) data with the aid of an optical model calculation of the cross section for the formation of the compound nucleus by neutron absorption. Experimental measurements of the (n, f) cross section of the longer-lived targets such as ²³⁵U and ²⁴¹Pu are used to test the validity of this technique by directly comparing experimental results and computed results from (t, pf) experiments. Ratios of Γ_n/Γ_f are determined from these experimental data and are compared to previously published values.