Development of a quasi-monoenergetic neutron field using the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction in the energy range from 250 to 390 MeV at RCNP

A quasi-monoenergetic neutron field using the (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be reaction has been developed at the ring cyclotron facility at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. Neutrons were generated from a 10-mm-thick Li target injected by 250, 350 and 392 MeV protons and neutrons produced at 0 degrees were extracted into the time-of-flight (TOF) room of 100-m length through the concrete collimator of 10 x 12 cm aperture and 150 cm thickness. The neutron energy spectra were measured by a 12.7-cm diam x 12.7-cm long NE213 organic liquid scintillator using the TOF method. The peak neutron fluence was 1.94 x 10(10), 1.07 x 10(10) and 1.50 x 10(10) n sr(-1) per muC of 250, 350 and 392 MeV protons, respectively. The neutron spectra generated from various thick (stopping length) targets of carbon, aluminium, iron and lead, bombarded by 250 and 350 MeV protons, were also measured with the TOF method. Although these measurements were performed to obtain thick target neutron yields, they are also used as a continuous energy neutron field. These neutron fields are very useful for characterising neutron detectors, measuring neutron cross sections, testing irradiation effects for various materials and performing neutron shielding experiments.     

Measurements of the response functions of an NE213 organic liquid scintillator to neutrons up to 800 MeV

The neutron response functions of 12.7 cm diameter by 12.7 cm long NE213 organic liquid scintillator have been measured in the energy range from 50 to 800 MeV at the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC). Neutrons were generated by the 800 MeV/nucleon Si ion and 400 MeV/nucleon C ion bombardment on a thick carbon target. Neutron energy was determined by the time-of-flight method with using the beam pick-up scintillator. The maximum light outputs were gradually increased with increasing incident neutron energy and the variation of the response functions have been observed up to 800 MeV. The experimental results show good agreement with other experimental results and the calculated values for incident neutron energy below about 200 MeV.     

Status of the cyric neutron TOF facilities upgrade

We describe progress in the Tohoku neutron time-of-flight (TOF) facilities improved to facilitate high resolution measurements for neutrons in the range 10 ≤ E_n ≲ 60 MeV. Efforts have been concentrated on completing the neutron detection system consisting of twelve neutron detectors, in which 23 1 of NE213 liquid scintillator are encapsulated, and a CAMAC-based data acquisition system. A systematic study of the neutron detection efficiency has been performed by Monte Carlo calculation for monochromatic neutrons with E_n ≲ 34 MeV. Results have been tested by counting neutrons from the ⁷Li(p, n)⁷Be reaction and comparing the yield with the absolute neutron fluence determined by activation.     

Measurements of the proton light output function of the organic liquid scintillator NE213 in several detectors

When using an organic liquid scintillator such as NE213 for neutron spectrometry, the light output as a function of proton energy is needed in order to unfold the neutron spectrum from the scintillator's pulse height distribution. We have measured this function for several detectors over the range 1.5–16 MeV approximately, using monoenergetic neutrons from the Harwell 5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator. Results were obtained for a wide variety of sizes and shapes of the scintillator cell, and were found to be essentially in agreement within errors. The results were also compared with those of several other workers (amongst whom there is considerable disagreement). Below 10 MeV, there is excellent agreement with one worker and moderate or poor agreement with others; above 10 MeV, agreement is moderate in all cases. We conclude that workers wishing to unfold neutron spectra from NE213 pulse height distributions would be advised to make measurements with their own particular detector configuration, rather than use published functions.     

The response function of organic scintillator NE213 to 59.5 MeV neutrons

The response function of a 12.7 cm diameter × 12.7 cm cell of an organic liquid scintillator NE213 has been studied at E_n = 59.5 MeV. In the pulse shape spectra bands due to deuterons, besides protons and alpha particles produced by neutron interactions are identified. In order to discriminate the contribution from the ¹²C (n, np) reaction, a coincidence experiment between the protons in the scintillator and the escaping neutrons from the scintillator was made. To confirm the deuteron band further, a liquid scintillator cell was directly bombarded by a faint deuteron beam with an energy of 56 MeV. The response functions for individual bands are very different from the calculated response using the Monte Carlo method.     

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.     

A study of neutron radiation quality with a tissue-equivalent proportional counter for a low-energy accelerator-based in vivo neutron activation facility

The accelerator-based in vivo neutron activation facility at McMaster University has been used successfully for the measurement of several minor and trace elements in human hand bones due to their importance to health. Most of these in vivo measurements have been conducted at a proton beam energy (E(p)) of 2.00 MeV to optimise the activation of the selected element of interest with an effective dose of the same order as that received in chest X rays. However, measurement of other elements at the same facility requires beam energies other than 2.00 MeV. The range of energy of neutrons produced at these proton beam energies comes under the region where tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs) are known to experience difficulty in assessing the quality factor and dose equivalent. In this study, the response of TEPCs was investigated to determine the quality factor of neutron fields generated via the (7)Li(p, n)(7)Be reaction as a function of E(p) in the range 1.884-2.56 MeV at the position of hand irradiation in the facility. An interesting trend has been observed in the quality factor based on ICRP 60, Q(ICRP60), such that the maximum value was observed at E(p)=1.884 MeV (E(n)=33±16 keV) and then continued to decline with increasing E(p) until achieving a minimum value at E(p)=2.0 MeV despite a continuous increase in the mean neutron energy with E(p). This observation is contrary to what has been observed with direct fast neutrons where the quality factor was found to increase continuously with an increase in E(p) (i.e. increasing E(n)). The series of measurements conducted with thermal and fast neutron fields demonstrate that the (14)N(n, p)(14)C produced 580 keV protons in the detector play an important role in the response of the counter under 2.0 MeV proton energy (E(n) ≤ 250 keV). In contrast to the lower response of TEPCs to low-energy neutrons, the quality factor is overestimated in the range 1-2 depending on beam energy <2.0 MeV. This study provides an insight to understanding the response of TEPCs in low-energy neutron fields where the neutrons are moderated using a polyethylene moderator.     

Development of the fast neutron standard using a Be({alpha},n) reaction at the National Metrology Institute of Japan

This paper describes the 8-MeV neutron field where the neutrons are generated in the (9)Be(alpha,n)(12)C reaction by bombardment of a beryllium target with a 2.4-MeV (4)He(+) beam from a Van de Graaff accelerator. The neutron field is being prepared for a new national standard on neutron fluence in Japan. Absolute measurement of the neutron fluence was taken using a proton recoil neutron detector, consisting of a silicon surface barrier detector with a polyethylene radiator. Neutron spectra were measured using a newly developed recoil proton spectrometer and a liquid organic scintillation detector. The gamma rays existing in the field were also characterised using a liquid organic scintillation detector. The ambient dose equivalents of the gamma rays were estimated to be <100 microSv at the neutron fluence of 10(7) neutrons cm(-2).     

A compact high-energy neutron spectrometer

A compact liquid organic neutron spectrometer based on a single NE213 liquid scintillator (5 cm diameter x 5 cm) is described. The spectrometer is designed to measure neutron fluence spectra over the energy range 2-200 MeV and is suitable for use in neutron fields having any type of time structure. Neutron fluence spectra are obtained from measurements of two-parameter distributions (counts versus pulse-height and pulse shape) using the Bayesian unfolding code MAXED. Calibration and test measurements made using a pulsed neutron beam with a continuous energy spectrum are described and the application of the spectrometer to radiation dose measurements is discussed.     

Characterization of gamma rays existing in the NMIJ standard neutron field

Our laboratory provides national standards on fast neutron fluence. Neutron fields are always accompanied by gamma rays produced in neutron sources and surroundings. We have characterised these gamma rays in the 5.0 MeV standard neutron field. Gamma ray measurement was performed using an NE213 liquid scintillator. Pulse shape discrimination was incorporated to separate the events induced by gamma rays from those by neutrons. The measured gamma ray spectra were unfolded with the HEPRO program package to obtain the spectral fluences using the response matrix prepared with the EGS4 code. Corrections were made for the gamma rays produced by neutrons in the detector assembly using the MCNP4C code. The effective dose equivalents were estimated to be of the order of 25 microSv at the neutron fluence of 10(7) neutrons cm(-2).     

Development of advanced-type multi-functional electronic personal dosemeter

An advanced-type small, light, multi-functional electronic personal dosemeter has been developed using silicon semiconductor radiation detectors for dose management of workers at nuclear power plants and accelerator facilities. This dosemeter is 62 x 82 x 27 mm(3) in size and approximately 130 g in weight, which is capable of measuring personal gamma ray and neutron dose equivalents, Hp(10), simultaneously. The neutron dose equivalent can be obtained using two types of silicon semiconductors: a slow-neutron sensor (<1 MeV) and a fast-neutron sensor (>1 MeV). The slow neutron sensor is a 10 x 10 mm(2) p-type silicon on which a natural boron layer is deposited around an aluminium electrode. The fast neutron sensor is also a 10 x 10 mm(2) p-type silicon crystal on which an amorphous silicon hydride is deposited. The neutron energy response corresponding to the fluence-to-dose-equivalent conversion coefficient given by ICRP Publication 74 has been evaluated using a monoenergetic neutron source from 250 keV to 15 MeV at the Fast Neutron Laboratory of Tohoku University. As the result, the Hp(10) response to neutrons in the energy range of 250 keV and 4.4 MeV within +/-50% difference has been obtained.     

Construction of 144, 565 keV and 5.0 MeV monoenergetic neutron calibration fields at JAERI

Monoenergetic neutron calibration fields of 144, 565 keV and 5.0 MeV have been developed at the Facility of Radiation Standards of JAERI using a 4 MV Pelletron accelerator. The 7Li(p,n)7Be and 2H(d,n)3He reactions are employed for neutron production. The neutron energy was measured by the time-of-flight method with a liquid scintillation detector and calculated with the MCNP-ANT code. A long counter is employed as a neutron monitor because of the flat response. The monitor is set up where the influence of inscattered neutrons from devices and their supporting materials at a calibration point is as small as possible. The calibration coefficients from the monitor counts to the neutron fluence at a calibration point were obtained from the reference fluence measured with the transfer instrument of the primary standard laboratory (AIST), a 24.13 cm phi Bonner sphere counter. The traceability of the fields to AIST was established through the calibration.     

Response of a BaF2 scintillation detector to quasi-monoenergetic fast neutrons in the range of 45 to 198 MeV

We have studied the neutron response of a scintillation detector consisting of a 14 cm long, hexagonal-shaped BaF₂-crystal with an inner diameter of 8.75 cm coupled to an EMI9821QB photomultiplier tube. The detector was exposed to calibrated quasi-monoenergetic neutron fields obtained from ⁷Li(p,n)⁷Be reactions. The measurements were performed at neutron energies of 45, 60, 96, 147 and 198 MeV as given by the energies of the incident protons. The experimental pulse-height spectra of the BaF₂-detector are compared with Monte Carlo simulations using the FLUKA code. The detection efficiency of the BaF₂-detector in the energy range of 45–198 MeV was determined as a function of the discriminator threshold and compared to the literature data. At neutron energies above 100 MeV the detection efficiency of the BaF₂-detector was found to be a factor of two higher than that of an NE213-detector of comparable size.     

Characterisation of kilo electron volt neutron fluence standard with the 45Sc(p,n)45Ti reaction at NMIJ

We are developing a national standard of a monoenergetic kilo electron volt neutron field with the (45)Sc(p,n)(45)Ti resonance reaction. A wide resonance yields 27.4 keV neutrons at 0 degrees with respect to the proton beam. The proton energy was precisely determined in the measurement of the relative neutron yield as a function of the proton energy from the threshold energy to 2.942 MeV. Absolute measurement of the monoenergetic neutron fluence was performed using a (3)He proportional counter. Relative measurement was also carried out using a Bonner sphere calibrated at our 144 keV standard neutron field. Calibration factors were obtained between the count of a neutron monitor and the neutron fluence. A silicon-surface barrier detector with a (6)LiF foil converter was also being developed for the neutron fluence measurement. Successful results were obtained in the tests in the 144 keV standard neutron field.     

A position-sensitive n-detector for neutron-fragment correlation measurements

A position-determining device has been developed for studying neutron emission in fission processes. The detector essentially consists of two photomultipliers at the ends of a cylinder of NE213 liquid scintillator (about 82 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter), yielding a position resolution of 8 cm and a time resolution of 1.2 ns for 3 MeV neutrons. The quality of the performance is illustrated by measuring the velocity and angular distributions of neutrons associated with the fission fragments from spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf. The experimental setup, adaptable for use with other neutron emitting fragments (e.g. heavy-ion reaction products), consisted of the position-sensitive n-detector, a thin scintillator film, and a solid-state detector.     

Development of a fast neutron spectrometer composed of silicon-SSD and position-sensitive proportional counters

A new fast neutron spectrometer has been developed. The spectrometer is composed of a silicon surface barrier detector and three position-sensitive proportional counters with methane gas working as counting gas and a radiator. A collimated incident neutron interacts with a hydrogen atom in the methane gas to generate a recoil proton. The position information on the path of the recoil proton obtained from the three position-sensitive proportional counters gives the recoil angle. In the meanwhile, the energy of the recoil protons is measured with the three proportional counters and the silicon surface barrier detector. The characteristics of the spectrometer were evaluated with a monoenergetic neutron beam. The best energy resolution was 1.8% for 5.0 MeV neutrons.     

PIN silicon diode fast neutron detector

Two batches of diodes, with different structural ratios (the ratio of area and thickness), were made using different manufacturing processes. The energy response of the first batch to 15 kinds of monoenergetic neutrons ranging from 180 keV to 17.56 MeV was tested, and the neutron source response of both batches to 239Pu-Be neutron source was measured. The energy deposition in the diodes irradiated by 1 keV to 20 MeV monoenergetic neutrons was calculated with simulation procedure. The response curve of the experimental results showed an approximately similar trend to that of theoretical computation. Based on the results of the neutron source response experiments, it was concluded that the response of fast neutron varied linearly with the structural ratio of the detectors.     

Systematic analysis of neutron yields from thick targets bombarded by heavy ions and protons with moving source model

A simple phenomenological analysis using the moving source model has been performed on the neutron energy spectra produced by bombarding thick targets with high energy heavy ions which have been systematically measured at the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator (HIMAC) facility (located in Chiba, Japan) of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS). For the bombardment of both heavy ions and protons in the energy region of 100–500 MeV per nucleon, the moving source model incorporating the knock-on process could be generally successful in reproducing the measured neutron spectra within a factor of two margin of accuracy. This phenomenological analytical equation is expressed having several parameters as functions of atomic number Z_p, mass number A_p, energy per nucleon E_p for projectile, and atomic number Z_T, mass number A_T for target. By inputting these basic data for projectile and target into this equation we can easily estimate the secondary neutron energy spectra at an emission angle of 0–90° for bombardment with heavy ions and protons in the aforementioned energy region. This method will be quite useful to estimate the neutron source term in the neutron shielding design of high energy proton and heavy ion accelerators.     

A spectrometer for double-differential neutron-emission cross section measurements in the energy range 1.6 to 16 MeV

A neutron spectrometer for the measurement of double-differential neutron-emission cross sections has been set up.An electron linac (GELINA) is used as a pulsed white neutron source. The energy of the incident neutrons is determined by the time-of-flight method. The secondary neutron spectra are determined by unfolding the pulse-height distributions observed in eight NE213-scintillators surrounding the sample.The measured spectra are normalised to the shape of the incident neutron flux measured with a ²³⁵U-fission chamber, and afterwards converted to absolute cross sections using as standard the carbon differential elastic scattering cross section below 2 MeV.     

Characteristic evaluation of a Lithium-6 loaded neutron coincidence spectrometer

Characteristics of a (6)Li-loaded neutron coincidence spectrometer were investigated from both measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. The spectrometer consists of three (6)Li-glass scintillators embedded in a liquid organic scintillator BC-501A, which can detect selectively neutrons that deposit the total energy in the BC-501A using a coincidence signal generated from the capture event of thermalised neutrons in the (6)Li-glass scintillators. The relative efficiency and the energy response were measured using 4.7, 7.2 and 9.0 MeV monoenergetic neutrons. The measured ones were compared with the Monte Carlo calculations performed by combining the neutron transport code PHITS and the scintillator response calculation code SCINFUL. The experimental light output spectra were in good agreement with the calculated ones in shape. The energy dependence of the detection efficiency was reproduced by the calculation. The response matrices for 1-10 MeV neutrons were finally obtained.