Gaseous detector of ionizing radiation for registration of coherent neutrino scattering on nuclei

A method for registration of the coherent scattering reactor antineutrino on nuclei using a three-section low-background proportional counter was proposed. It is planned to use argon and xenon as the working substance. As has been shown on a test bench, pulse shape discrimination can effectively suppress the background from electromagnetic interference and microphonic effects in the energy range from 20 to 100 eV where the effect of coherent scattering of neutrinos on nuclei is expected with a factor of about 10³. Problems of the neutron background generated by cosmic-ray muons are analyzed. The scheme of the experimental setup is presented.     

Measurement of neutron dose with an organic liquid scintillator coupled with a spectrum weight function

A dose evaluation method for neutrons in the energy range of a few MeV to 100 MeV has been developed using a spectrum weight function (G-function), which is applied to an organic liquid scintillator of 12.7 cm in diameter and 12.7 cm in length. The G-function that converts the pulse height spectrum of the scintillator into the ambient dose equivalent, H*(10), was calculated by an unfolding method using successive approximation of the response function of the scintillator and the ambient dose equivalent per unit neutron fluence (H*(10) conversion coefficients) of ICRP 74. To verify the response function of the scintillator and the value of H*(10) evaluated by the G-function. pulse height spectra of the scintillator were measured in some different neutron fields, which have continuous energy, monoenergetic and quasi-monoenergetic spectra. Values of H*(10) estimated using the G-function and pulse height spectra of the scintillator were compared with those calculated using neutron energy spectra. These doses agreed with each other. From the results, it was concluded that H*(10) can be evaluated directly from the pulse height spectrum of the scintillator by applying the G-function proposed in this study.     

Investigating the TEPC radiation quality factor response for low energy accelerator based clinical applications

The use of a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) filled with propane based tissue equivalent gas simulating a 2 microm diameter tissue sphere has been investigated to estimate the radiation quality factor of the neutron fields used in in vivo neutron activation measurements at the McMaster University 3 MV Van de Graaff accelerator. The counter response to estimate the effective quality factor based on the definitions of Q(L) provided in ICRP 26 and 60 as a function of neutron energy has been examined experimentally using monoenergetic and continuous neutron spectra in the energy range of 35 to 600 keV. In agreement with other studies, the counter failed to provide a flat R(Q) response and showed a sharp drop below 200 keV neutron energy. Development of an algorithm to evaluate the quality factors using measured dose-mean lineal energy, yD, and comparison of the algorithm with other reported algorithms and analytical methods developed for the improvement in TEPC dose equivalent response has been reported.     

CHELSI: a portable neutron spectrometer for the 20-800 MeV region

CHELSI is a CsI-based portable spectrometer being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for use in high-energy neutron fields. Based on the inherent pulse shape discrimination properties of CsI(Tl), the instrument flags charged particle events produced via neutron-induced spallation events. Scintillation events are processed in real time using digital signal processing and a conservative estimate of neutron dose rate is made based on the charged particle energy distribution. A more accurate dose estimate can be made by unfolding the 2D charged particle versus pulse height distribution to reveal the incident neutron spectrum from which dose is readily obtained. A prototype probe has been assembled and data collected in quasi-monoenergetic fields at The Svedberg Laboratory (TSL) in Uppsala as well as at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). Preliminary efforts at deconvoluting the shape/energy data using empirical response functions derived from time-of-flight measurements are described.     

Photon spectrometry in thermal neutron standard field

An NE213 liquid scintillation counter (5.08 cm in diameter and 5.08 cm long) with an LiF filter was used to measure the energy distribution of photons mixed in a thermal neutron field. The response function matrix of photons in an energy range up to 10 MeV was calculated by the EGS4/PRESTA code and properly folded with a resolution function. Pulse height spectra measured with a set of reference γ-ray sources were compared to the calculated response function and agreed very well for all reference γ-ray sources. The GRAVEL and MIEKE codes from the HEPRO program were used to unfold measured pulse height spectra. Energy distributions obtained by the unfolding were applied to evaluate the effective dose equivalent of photons mixed in a thermal neutron field.     

A high background rejection method in a proportional counter using field-adjusting electrodes as guard cathodes

A single anode single large cell counter, with veto-counters around it, is described. To get uniform response of the pulse height and the energy resolution, the counter has field-adjusting electrodes at the end walls of the anode wire, and these electrodes are also used to reject the background events which are caused by cosmic rays passing through near the end walls of the anode.A rocket flight experiment showed that the combination of rise time discrimination and anti-coincidence method reduced the cosmic ray induced background events to a level of 1.2×10^?4 counts s^?1 cm^?2 keV^?1 in the energy range of 2–40 keV, which represented an overall background reduction of 98% in this energy range.     

Response of a lithium gadolinium borate scintillator in monoenergetic neutron fields

Accurate estimation of neutron dose requires knowledge of the neutron energy distribution in the working environment. Existing neutron spectrometry systems, Bonner spheres for example, are large and bulky, and require long data acquisition times. A portable system that could indicate the approximate neutron energy spectrum in a short time would be extremely useful in radiation protection. A composite scintillator, consisting of lithium gadolinium borate crystals in a plastic scintillator matrix, produced by Photogenics is being tested for this purpose. A prototype device based on this scintillator and digital pulse processing electronics has been calibrated using quasi-monoenergetic neutron fields at the low-scatter facility of the UK National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Energies selected were 144, 250, 565, 1400, 2500 and 5000 keV, with correction for scattered neutrons being made using the shadow cone technique. Measurements were also made in the NPL thermal neutron field. Pulse distributions collected with the digitiser in capture-gated mode are presented, and detection efficiency and energy resolution derived. For comparison, neutron spectra were also collected using the commercially available Microspec N-Probe from Bubble Technology Industries, which consists of an NE213 scintillator and a 3He proportional counter.     

Dose evaluation from multiple detector outputs using convex optimisation

A dose evaluation using multiple radiation detectors can be improved by the convex optimisation method. It enables flexible dose evaluation corresponding to the actual radiation energy spectrum. An application to the neutron ambient dose equivalent evaluation is investigated using a mixed-gas proportional counter. The convex derives the certain neutron ambient dose with certain width corresponding to the true neutron energy spectrum. The range of the evaluated dose is comparable to the error of conventional neutron dose measurement equipments. An application to the neutron individual dose equivalent measurement is also investigated. Convexes of particular dosemeter combinations evaluate the individual dose equivalent better than the dose evaluation of a single dosemeter. The combinations of dosemeters with high orthogonality of their response characteristics tend to provide a good suitability for dose evaluation.     

Measurement of neutron fluence spectra up to 150 MeV using a stacked scintillator neutron spectrometer

A stacked scintillator neutron spectrometer (S3N) consisting of three slabs of liquid organic scintillator is described. A pulsed beam providing a broad spectrum of neutron energies is used to determine the detection efficiency of the spectrometer as a function of incident neutron energy and to measure the pulse height response matrix of the system. Neutron spectra can then be determined for beams with any kind of time structure by unfolding pulse height spectra measured by the S3N. Examples of fluence spectrum measurements in the energy range 20-150 MeV are presented.     

Analysis of the effect of structural materials in a wall-less tissue-equivalent proportional counter irradiated by 290 MeV u(-1) carbon beam

Effects of structural materials in a wall-less tissue-equivalent proportional counter were evaluated based on the calculation of energy deposits by EGS5 and the measurement of lineal energy distributions using 290 MeV u(-1) carbon beams. It is found that the correction of measured data based on simulation is necessary for understanding the energy deposition spectra in the homogeneous condition in tissues.     

Differential absorbed dose distributions in lineal energy for neutrons and gamma rays at the mono-energetic neutron calibration facility

Absorbed dose distributions in lineal energy for neutrons and gamma rays of mono-energetic neutron sources from 140 keV to 15 MeV were measured in the Fast Neutron Laboratory at Tohoku University. By using both a tissue-equivalent plastic walled counter and a graphite-walled low-pressure proportional counter, absorbed dose distributions in lineal energy for neutrons were obtained separately from those for gamma rays. This method needs no knowledge of energy spectra and dose distributions for gamma rays. The gamma-ray contribution in this neutron calibration field >1 MeV neutron was <3%, while for <550 keV it was >40%. The measured neutron absolute absorbed doses per unit neutron fluence agreed with the LA150 evaluated kerma factors. By using this method, absorbed dose distributions in lineal energy for neutrons and gamma rays in an unknown neutron field can be obtained separately.     

Report on the development of a low background proportional counter for monitoring plutonium in the lung

Techniques developed for use in X-ray astronomy detectors to reduce the internal background in proportional counters for the energy range 1–20 keV have been applied in the construction of a prototype low background proportional counter for monitoring plutonium in the lung. The most commonly used device at present is the phoswich which is mainly limited in its precision by the background count rate induced by the normal radioactivity of the subject being measured. A properly constructed proportional counter using the latest background rejection techniques should offer better rejection of these background events and improve the precision of the measurement. The design of such a counter is described together with preliminary results from the evaluation of a prototype. The limiting performance is shown to be due to radioactive contamination (tritium) of the counter and reduction of this to a low level gives a background lower than that of the phoswich, though not under operational conditions. Future improvements are described.     

Photon and neutron dose discrimination using low pressure proportional counters with graphite and A150 walls

A graphite-walled proportional counter with low neutron sensitivity was used in combination with a tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) to separate the photon and neutron components in mixed radiation fields. Monte Carlo (MCNP4C) simulations of the photon and neutron responses of the two detectors were done to obtain correction factors for the sensitivity differences. In an alternative method the radiation components were determined using constant-y(D)-values for typical photon and neutron energy distributions. The results show no significant difference between the two methods and the measured neutron dose-equivalent agrees within +/-50% with Bonner sphere determined values. The experimental data were obtained in measurement campaigns organised within the EVIDOS-project.     

Microdosimetry distributions for 40-200 MeV protons

Theoretical calculations have been performed to obtain microdosimetrical characteristics for protons in energy range from 40 to 200 MeV. This energy range is a representative of proton energies in tissue during radiation therapy and it also represents a large portion of the proton fluency in the South Atlantic Anomaly. Distributions of deposited energy calculated using Monte Carlo track structure code TRIOL and own-made programs were compared with experimental data obtained using spherical tissue-equivalent proportional counter. A good agreement between calculated and experimentally obtained microdosimetry spectra has been found.     

Measurements of (n,γ) neutron capture cross-sections with liquid scintillator detectors

A method for measuring (n,γ) neutron capture cross-sections using liquid scintillator detectors has been investigated. If the response function of the detector is known, and the efficiency as a function of energy is low and approximately constant, then gamma cascades can be counted via a method that is independent of the cascade path provided the detector response is manipulated to allow detection efficiency to be proportional to emitted gamma-ray energy.In this paper, we demonstrate the measurement of efficiency and response functions for a C₆D₆ liquid scintillator using gamma-ray sources and (p,γ) reactions on light nuclei. Methods to reproduce the detector response and efficiency data successfully using simulations are presented and discussed. An entire response matrix for the detector has been constructed using a new interpolation technique, allowing weighting functions that force the detector efficiency to be proportional to gamma-ray energy to be calculated. An analysis of the sources of error involved in making (n,γ) cross-section measurements with this method has been undertaken using Monte-Carlo simulation techniques.     

Scintillation yields by relativistic heavy ions and the relation between ionization and scintillation in liquid argon

Scintillation yields per unit energy deposited by relativistic heavy ions in liquid argon have been measured. They are (1.41 ± 0.07) for 613 MeV/n Ne ions and (1.39 ± 0.07) for 705 MeV/n Fe ions, if the value is normalized to unity for 5.3 MeV alpha particles. These results show that the scintillation intensity for relativistic heavy ions in liquid argon is proportional to the deposited energy, that is, to Z₁², where Z₁ is the nuclear charge of heavy ions. Furthermore, the variation of ionization and scintillation in liquid argon has been investigated as a function of electric field using relativistic Ne and Fe ions. It is shown that a linear combination of ionization signal I and scintillation signal S, I + aS, is proportional to the deposited energy, independently of electric field strength and types of incident particles. This suggests that if we use both signals, we may construct a massive calorimeter that can be used for nuclear reactions induced by relativistic heavy ions.     

Measurement of lineal-energy distributions for neutrons of 8 keV to 65 MeV by using a tissue-equivalent proportional counter

The lineal-energy spectra for monoenergetic and quasi-monoenergetic neutrons of 8 keV to 65 MeV were obtained using a tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC). The frequency-mean lineal energy, the dose-average lineal energy and mean quality factor were estimated from the measured data. The neutron absorbed doses obtained with this TEPC were compared with the kerma coefticient for A-150 plastic defined by ICRP 26 and the mean quality factors were compared with the data of ICRP 74. respectively. These comparisons indicated good agreement between them.     

低能过滤X射线神经网络解谱方法研究

利用神经网络算法实现对PIPS探测器测量得到的低能过滤X射线脉冲幅度谱的快速解谱。首先根据PIPS探测器的计算机断层扫描图像,在MCNP5中建立该探测器的蒙特卡罗(MC)模型。并通过实验、MC效率刻度以及能谱展宽,对该探测器模型进行验证。之后计算PIPS探测器对单能光子(5~30 keV)的响应函数,并将其作为单层线性神经网络的训练数据。使用训练后的神经网络和GRV_MC33程序分别对N10~N30和L10~L30辐射质的X射线脉冲幅度谱进行解谱。结果表明:除N25和N30辐射质外,二者解谱结果相符较好。其解谱结果的差异可能来源于探测器响应函数和GRV_MC33程序解谱方法的不确定度。训练好的神经网络可被移植到微型计算机中,帮助校准实验室实现对低能过滤X射线脉冲幅度谱的快速解谱。     

Focal plane detector for the Oxford MDM-2 spectrometer

A “hybrid” focal plane counter comprising a gridded ionization chamber with position sensitive proportional counters, 300 mm long, 510 mm deep and with an active height of 60 mm, is described. The detector is designed for use with the Oxford MDM-2 magnetic spectrometer and is suitable for both light and heavy ions. Typical results obtained are 0.6 mm position resolution and 1% total energy resolution. Two energy loss, a veto and two position signals are available as well as provision for height and timing signals. Techniques are described for the reduction of capacitive noise, correction of electric field nonuniformities, and the reduction of interference from positive ions on the ionization signals.     

Characterization of liquid scintillation detectors

Five scintillation detectors of different scintillator size and type were characterized. The pulse height scale was calibrated in terms of electron light output units using photon sources. The response functions for time-of-flight (TOF)-selected monoenergetic neutrons were experimentally determined and also simulated with the NRESP code over a wide energy range. A comparison of the measured and calculated response functions allows individual characteristics of the detectors to be determined and the response matrix to be reliably derived. Various applications are discussed.