Thermal (n,f) cross section measurements of 243Cm and 245Cm

In the framework of the Interuniversity Attraction Poles project financed by the Belgian Science Policy Office of the Belgian State, a measurement program was set up at SCK•CEN to determine the thermal neutron-induced fission cross section of a number of Cm isotopes. The experiments are performed with a thermal neutron beam provided by the graphite moderated reactor BR1 at SCK•CEN. Neutron-induced fission cross-section data are of interest for basic nuclear physics and astrophysics studies and are a crucial input in reactor physics calculations. Burnt nuclear fuel contains important quantities of Cm isotopes hence Cm(n,f) cross-section data are needed for nuclear waste transmutation calculations. They play an important role in the design of Accelerator Driven Systems and generation IV reactors. Preliminary results of 243Cm(n,f) and 245Cm(n,f) measurements have been presented.