Characteristics of an intense neutron source based on the d+Be reaction

doi:10.1016/0029-554X(77)90559-6

Nuclear Instruments and Methods

Volume 145, Issue 1, 15 August 1977, Pages 81-90

https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-554X(77)90559-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

A neutron source designed for fusion-related radiation damage studies has been built based on the d + Be reaction. Using a 40 MeV, 20 μA deuteron beam from the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron neutron fluxes of (1–2) × 10¹² n/cm²·s are obtained over an area ∼ 50 mm². The design of the source is described, together with time-of-flight and activation foil measurements of the thick target neutron yields from the ⁹Be(d, n) reaction for the angular range from 0° to 90°. A dosimetry procedure based on these measurements is presented. In addition time-of-flight measurements of the thick target neutron yields for the Li(d, n) reaction are reported and compared to the ⁹Be(d, n) results.

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Investigating characteristics of neutrons from accelerator-driven compact source using novel target of compressed beryllium-powder
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The study was conducted at the cyclotron laboratory of the Tomsk Polytechnic University, on the use of a new form of target utilized in the production of fast-neutrons. The flux of fast-neutrons emitted by a novel target of beryllium powder compressed in a copper mold has been measured using Al and Fe foils as detectors. The change in the neutron flux in terms of the deuteron energy was studied by using thin aluminum filters. The increase of neutron flux reached about 60% when comparing with results obtained previously by our team when only the Be-target was used, this increase referred to the reaction Cu (n, 2n). In addition, comprehensive experimental graphs were obtained using our results beside other results from related literatures. It was found that they almost agree with the experimental results from the previous studies at energies less than 12 MeV, but then the neutron flux starts to increase when using a target of Be-powder compressed in a copper mold. The difference may become greater at energies above 15 MeV and the enhancement could be many times larger. Furthermore, fitted curves and their equations were obtained for the neutron flux as a function of deuteron-energy in the energy-range between 0.5 and 50 MeV. Also, the average energy of neutrons can be calculated from the derived equations for deuteron-ions in the energy-range from 2.6 to 40 MeV. The results of this study are new and promising, so that when confirming these results at higher energies above 15 MeV, we can obtain a greater neutron yield when using a target of Be-powder compressed in a copper mold or other metals with higher cross section of the reaction (n, 2n). The high intensity beams of fast-neutrons could be employed in many crucial applications, such as radiotherapy, production of radioactive isotopes, and more.
Probing yields and angular distributions of Be(d,n) neutrons with novel target of compressed beryllium-powder
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Citation Excerpt :
The inelastic deuteron scattering and three-body interactions (d,2n) and (d,np) create the low energy fraction of spectrum (Allisy et al., 1989; Cierjacks, 1983). The major contribution of works investigated the d + Be source reactions and concerned with the spectral flux distributions and neutron yields measurements were performed within the last 50 to 40 years ago (Lone et al., 1977; Madey et al., 1977; Meadows, 1993; Meulders et al., 1975; Weaver et al., 1973; Saltmarsh et al., 1977; Brede et al., 1989; Graves et al., 1979; Bonnett and Parnell, 1982; Bonnett and Parnell, 1982, 1982; Waterman et al., 1979). In all previous works, a metallic beryllium target was used with different thicknesses.
A comprehensive study was conducted in the Cyclotron laboratory at National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University on the use of a new type of target utilized in the production of fast-neutrons. The flux and spectra of the fast-neutrons emitted by a novel target of compressed beryllium powder were studied. The neutron angular distribution was measured using Fe and Al foils as detectors in different angular situations of the target relative to the incident deuteron beam. It was found that there are some discrepancies in the neutron flux at 0° degree for the detectors, up to about 20% for different target-beam angle. Likewise, the flux of neutrons in the energy range between 1 and 6 MeV make up about 83% of the total flux. Compering with previous works using solid target, we found an increase of nearly twice the yield of fast neutrons. And there is a probability that increase would rise steadily as the deuteron energies exceed 12 MeV as was the case in our work. The results of this study are new and promising and we can obtain a relatively greater neutron yield when using a compressed powder target. This is reflected positively on many applications that use fast-neutron beams, such as radiotherapy, radioactive isotopes, and even nuclear fusion experiments, among others.
Neutron spectrum determination of accelerator-driven d(10)+Be neutron source using the multi-foil activation technique
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Citation Excerpt :
The inelastic deuteron scattering and three-body interactions (d, 2n) and (d,np) create the low energy fraction of spectrum below 2 MeV and the peak at an energy of 0.8 MeV (Cierjacks, 1983; Allisy et al., 1989). The most of research works related to the d + Be source reaction come from the 70s and 80s of the last century, and they mainly include the results published by Lone et al. (1977), Weaver et al. (1973), Saltmarsh et al. (1977), Brede et al. (1989), Graves et al. (1979), Meulders et al. (1975), Madey et al. (1977), Bonnett and Parnell (1982), Meadows (1993), and Waterman et al. (1979), who were concerned with the spectral flux distributions and neutron yields measurement. The illustrations of experimentally found shapes of the d + Be neutron spectra measured by J.P. Meulders and M.A. Lone using the time-of-flight (TOF) method and scintillation probes are depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 (Meulders et al., 1975; Lone et al., 1977).
New neutron field of the compact accelerator-driven fast neutron source based on the cyclotron and beryllium target station was studied and developed at the NPI CAS. Neutrons were generated using the deuteron bombardment on 8 mm thick beryllium layer by the 10.3 MeV deuteron beam. Broad neutron energy spectra of the d(10)+Be source reaction at two source-to-sample distances (14 mm and 154 mm) were determined for the first time at the NPI. Sets of eight activation materials comprising Au, Co, Ti, In, Al, Fe, Ni, and Nb were irradiated in the d(10)+Be neutron field, and activated dosimetry foils were analysed using the nuclear gamma-spectroscopy technique (HPGe detector) and reaction rates were measured. Neutron energy spectra of the d + Be source reaction for 10.3 MeV deuterons were reconstructed employing the modified version of the SAND-II unfolding code. For 9.7 μA deuteron beam, the fast neutron flux of developed d(10)+Be neutron field reached the value of 1.4 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻²s⁻¹ at a distance of 14 mm from the source target and 4.1 × 10⁸ cm⁻²s⁻¹ at a distance of 154 mm. The novel d(10)+Be neutron field with energy range up to 15 MeV is convenient for neutron cross-section data validation, experimental simulation of the fast neutron spectrum of experimental nuclear reactors, applications of neutron activation analysis, and radiation hardness tests of materials important for nuclear energetics.
Thick target neutron yields from LiF, C, Si, Ni, Mo, and Ta bombarded by 6.7 MeV/u deuterons
2020, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Citation Excerpt :
In recent years, the process of neutron production by deuteron-induced reactions has been a candidate for various applications, such as radiation damage evaluation for fusion materials [1], boron neutron capture therapy [2], medical radioisotope production [3], and nuclear transmutation studies [4]. In recent studies, deuteron data such as double-differential cross sections (DDXs) and double-differential thick target neutron yields (DDTTNYs), were measured for neutron application [5–9]. These studies have also measured deuteron data for light elements, such as Li, Be, and C, as potential neutron sources.
Double-differential thick target neutron yields from the bombardment of LiF, C, Si, Ni, Mo, and Ta targets by 6.7 MeV/u deuterons were measured at forward angles using an EJ-301 liquid organic scintillator. The neutron energy spectra were derived via an unfolding method using the FORIST code with the detector response function calculated using the SCINFUL-QMD code. The neutron energy spectra and total neutron yields at 0 $^{\circ}$ from the deuteron incidences were compared with the previous data of triton incidences on LiF, Si, Ni, Mo, and Ta targets measured at the same incident energy per nucleon. The comparison revealed that deuterons yield more neutrons for low- $Z$ targets than tritons, and less neutrons for high- $Z$ targets. The measured neutron energy spectra were compared with model calculations using the DEUteron-induced Reaction Analysis Code System (DEURACS). DEURACS successfully reproduced the neutron spectra from all the targets. For the triton incidence, some calculation codes were benchmarked, with JQMD/GEM and CCONE yielding good agreement with the measured neutron spectra at 0 $^{\circ}$ .
Reprint of “Neutron field determination of d+Be reaction for 15 MeV deuterons using the multi-foil activation technique”
2020, Radiation Physics and Chemistry
At the Nuclear Physics Institute (NPI) of Czech Academy of Sciences, the d+Be source reaction was investigated for thick beryllium target (thickness of 8 mm) and 15 MeV deuteron beam extracted from the U-120M isochronous cyclotron. For neutron field measurement of the d(15)+Be source reaction in close source-to-sample distance (non-point-like geometry), the multi-foil activation technique was utilized. Sets of nine activation materials (Au, Co, Ti, In, Al, Y, Fe, Ni, Nb) were irradiated by neutrons from the d(15)+Be source, and activated dosimetry foils were analysed by means of the gamma-ray spectrometry method using HPGe detector. From obtained reaction rates, the broad neutron spectra were reconstructed employing the modified version of SAND-II unfolding code. New intensive neutron field of broad spectrum up to 20 MeV and intensity of $3 \times 10^{10} {cm}^{- 2} s^{- 1}$ (close to the target) was successfully developed. The study of d(15)+Be source reaction provided new spectral data, and obtained neutron field extends the utilization of cyclotron-based fast neutron generators at the NPI and provides new experimental opportunities for future intensive irradiation experiments such as fast neutron activation analysis and radiation hardness tests of electronics and materials for nuclear energetics and aerospace industry.

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^†: Work supported by Union Carbide Corporation under contract with the U.S.E.R.D.A.

^∗: Oak Ridge Associated Universities Undergraduate Research Trainee from Berry College; present address: University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, U.S.A.

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Characteristics of an intense neutron source based on the d+Be reaction

Abstract

Appl. Phys. Lett.

ORNL-4160

Nucl. Phys.

Phys. Med. Biol.

Nucl. Sci. Engng.

Rev. Mod. Phys.

Nucl. Instr. and Meth.