Near-threshold measurement of the He-4(gamma,n) reaction

A near-threshold He-4(gamma, n) cross-section measurement has been performed at MAX-lab. Tagged photons from 23 < Ey < 42 MeV were directed toward a liquid He-4 target, and neutrons were detected by time-of-flight in two liquid-scintillator arrays. Seven-point angular distributions were measured for eight photon energies. The results are compared to experimental data measured at comparable energies and Recoil-Corrected Continuum Shell Model, Resonating Group Method, and recent Hyperspherical-Harmonic Expansion calculations. The angle-integrated cross-section data are peaked at a photon energy of about 28 MeV, in disagreement with the value recommended by Calarco, Berman, and Donnelly in 1983.