The 14C(n, γ) cross section between 10 keV and 1 MeV

The neutron capture cross section of C-14 is of relevance for several nucleosynthesis scenarios such as inhomogeneous Big Bang models, neutron induced CNO cycles, and neutrino driven wind models for the r process. The C-14(n,gamma) reaction is also important for the validation of the Coulomb dissociation method, where the (n,gamma) cross section can be indirectly obtained via the time-reversed process. So far, the example of C-14 is the only case with neutrons where both, direct measurement and indirect Coulomb dissociation, have been applied. Unfortunately, the interpretation is obscured by discrepancies between several experiments and theory. Therefore, we report on new direct measurements of the C-14(n,gamma) reaction with neutron energies ranging from 20 to 800 keV.