The $\left(n,2n\right)$ cross sections and their isomeric ratios $({\sigma }_m/{\sigma }_g)$ in the 13–15 MeV neutron energy range have been measured for ${}^{196,198}\mathrm{Hg}$ by an activation and offline γ-ray spectrometric technique using the Pd-300 Neutron Generator at the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP). Natural Hg samples and Nb monitor foils were activated jointly to determine the reaction cross section and the incident neutron flux. The neutrons were produced via the ${}^3\mathrm{H}\left(d,n\right){}^4\mathrm{He}$ reaction. The pure cross section of the ground state was derived from the absolute cross section of the metastable state and the residual nuclear decay analysis. The ${}^{196}\mathrm{Hg}\left(n,2n\right){}^{195}\mathrm{Hg}^{m,g}$ and ${}^{198}\mathrm{Hg}\left(n,2n\right){}^{197}\mathrm{Hg}^{m,g}$ reaction excitation functions and their isomeric cross-section ratios were also calculated theoretically using the talys-1.8 code with different level density models. Results are discussed and compared with corresponding literature data.

• Received 10 May 2018
• Revised 14 June 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.98.014619