Neutron strength functions and average total cross sections I. A new method

Neutron total cross sections of In, Sb, I, Re, and Hg have been measured in the energy region from 30 to 650 keV using a number of different sample thicknesses. A technique is developed for the analysis of the multiple-thickness transmission data to uniquely determine s-, p-, and d-wave strength functions and potential scattering phase shifts. The method exploits the differences in the behavior of the areas under transmission dips of s- and p-wave resonances as a function of sample thickness, and is shown to be well-suited for the keV region of neutron energies.