Nuclear data, including neutron cross sections, underpin the nuclear fuel cycle, allowing calculations, predictions and analyses to be performed. These cross sections must be known to the highest possible accuracy and this is reached by performing cutting edge experiments. This PhD project focuses on neutron cross section measurements on isotopes of particular relevance to the UK nuclear industry.Neutron cross-section measurements will be performed at facilities such as the thermal high flux research reactor at ILL, Grenoble and the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF at CERN, Geneva. The first cross section to be measured will be ¹³C(n,γ), of particular importance to aid characterization of the irradiated graphite from graphite moderated reactors such as AGRs. Further isotopes requiring an improvement in their cross section accuracies have been identified such as ³⁵Cl, ³⁹Ar and ⁵⁹Fe. As part of the PhD, future needs will be identified and measurements planned/performed.

There will also be the opportunity to be involved in the applied nuclear physics groups research measuring nuclear fission properties with the fission fragment spectrometer, STEFF which has an on going research program at n_TOF, CERN.