Excitation function for 63Cu(n,p)63Ni reaction in neutron energy range up to 15 MeV.

The excitation function for the (63)Cu(n,p)(63)Ni reaction has been measured by activation method using the 4.5 MV Dynamitron accelerator of the Fast Neutron Laboratory of Tohoku University. Copper plates and hollow spherical copper shells were irradiated by neutrons of various energy up to 14.9 MeV produced by the T(p,n), D(d,n), and T(d,n) reactions. The (63)Ni produced in the irradiated copper target was chemically separated. The beta-rays emitted from the extracted (63)Ni were measured by a liquid scintillation method. The cross sections obtained were compared with the evaluated data files of JENDL-3.3, ENDF/B-VI and FENDL/A-2.0. Consequently, it is found that FENDL/A-2.0 is consistent with our experimental data in the energy range studied in this work. The effect of proton shell appeared in the excitation function obtained is also discussed.