An in-depth analysis of Minor Actinide Fission Chambers Measurements in the FCA IX Experimental Programme.

Abstract : FCA is a zero power facility located at Tokai in Japan. The FCA-IX experimental programme exhibits 7 different cores with a variety of different neutron spectra. This has been achieved through the use of different moderators and different Uranium enrichments (93% for most of them except FCA-IX-7 where it is 20%). Fission Chambers of seven different nuclides: $^{237}$Np, $^{238}$Pu, $^{239}$Pu, $^{242}$Pu, $^{241}$Am, $^{243}$Am and $^{244}$Cm were used to measure ratios of fission reaction rate. Mass quantitative determinations of the electrodeposited nuclides were carried out through spectral analysis using a surface barrier silicon detector and a pulse height analyzer. The quantitative determination errors for electrodeposited nuclides were 3% for $^{244}$Cm and 1.5% for the other.