Neutron elastic and inelastic cross section measurements on silicon from 0.8–8 MeV

Neutron elastic and inelastic scattering differential cross sections were measured at angles between 30^∘ and 155^∘ with incident neutron energies between 0.8 and 8 MeV. The measured differential scattering cross sections are compared to existing measurements and the ENDF/B-VIII.0, the JEFF-3.3, and the JENDL-4.0 data evaluations, as well as theoretical calculations from the TALYS-1.95 nuclear reaction code. Our results are reasonably well described by values from the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3 compilations. However, below 4 MeV, our backward-angle elastic scattering results tend to be lower than database/calculated values, suggesting that less recoil damage would occur than expected. Above 6 MeV, larger backward-angle cross sections are observed suggesting the opposite. Deexcitation γ rays produced in the inelastic scattering process were also studied for neutron energies between 1.9 and 4.5 MeV. Neutron inelastic scattering cross sections deduced from ²⁸Si(n,nγ1) γ-ray production cross sections confirm our ²⁸Si(n,n₁) results. To the extent that data from GELINA and our experimental results can be compared, we have excellent agreement between the neutron inelastic scattering cross sections.