Measurement, evaluation and benchmarking of differential cross sections for proton elastic scattering on natO in the energy range E=4-6 MeV, suitable for EBS

In this study we present the experimental differential cross sections of the O-nat(p,p0) elastic scattering, determined via the relative measurement technique, in the proton beam energy range Elab = 4-6 MeV with a varying step (from 5 to 15 keV), at six backscattering detector angles between 120 degrees and 170 degrees (every 10 degrees). A thin, selfsupporting target manufactured was used in this experiment and the determination of its stoichiometry was carried out according to the currently existing evaluation at lower energy, which has also been benchmarked recently. The measurements were performed using the Van de Graaff Tandem 5.5 MV Accelerator of N.C.S.R. Demokritos in Athens, Greece. Theoretical calculations leading to the extension of the existing evaluation up to Ep,lab similar to 6 MeV have also been performed and the obtained results seem to reproduce well not only the differential cross-section datasets obtained in the present work, but also already existing ones in literature for this extended proton beam energy range. The observed peculiarities and discrepancies are discussed and analyzed, while the theoretical differential cross sections are validated via an accurate benchmarking experiment carried out at RUBION, Ruhr University Bochum, using a thick Bi2O3 target.

Automated summary

In this study, the experimental differential cross sections of O-nat(p,p0) elastic scattering were measured in the proton beam energy range of 4-6 MeV using the relative measurement technique. The measurements were conducted at six backscattering detector angles and a thin, selfsupporting target was used. The theoretical calculations also support the obtained results and show good agreement with existing literature data.