• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 2019

Background: As neutron fields are always accompanied by gamma rays, it is essential to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays in the detection of neutrons. Neutrons and gamma rays can be separated by pulse shape discrimination (PSD) methods. Recently, we performed characterization of a stilbene scintillator detector and an EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector with a high-speed digitizer DT5730 and investigated optimized PSD variables for both detectors. This study is for providing a basis for developing fast neutron/gamma-ray dual-particle imager. Materials and Methods: We conducted PSD experiments using stilbene scintillator and EJ-301 liquid scintillator and evaluated neutron and gamma ray discriminability of each PSD method with a $^{137}Cs$ gamma source and a $^{252}Cf$ neutron source. We implemented digital signal processing techniques to apply two PSD methods - the charge comparison (CC) method and the constant time discrimination (CTD) method - to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays. We tried to find optimized PSD variables giving the best discriminability in a given experimental condition. Results and Discussion: For the stilbene scintillator detector, the charge comparison method and the constant time discrimination method both delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.7. For the EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector, both PSD methods delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.79. With the same PSD variables, PSD performance was excellent in $300{\pm}100keVee$, $500{\pm}100keVee$, and $700{\pm}100keVee$ energy regions. This result shows that we can achieve an effective discrimination of neutrons from gamma rays using these scintillator detector systems. Conclusion: We applied both PSD methods to a stilbene and a liquid scintillator and optimized the PSD performance represented by FOM values. We observed a good separation performance of both scintillators combined with a high-speed digitizer and digital PSD. These results will provide reference values for the dual-particle imager we are developing, which can image both fast neutrons and gamma rays simultaneously.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.226-231
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• 2017

The aim is to investigate the spectra responsibilities of QD (Quantum Dot) for the innovation of new dosimetry application for therapeutic Megavoltage X-ray range. The unique electrical and optical properties of QD are expected to make it a good sensing material for dosimeter. This study shows the spectra responsibility of toluene based ZnCd QD and PPO (2.5-diphenyloxazol) mixed liquid scintillator. The QDs of 4 sizes corresponding to an emission wavelength (ZnCdSe/ZnS:$440{\pm}5nm$, ZnCdSeS:470, 500, $570{\pm}5nm$) were utilized. A liquid scintillator for control sample was made of toluene, PPO. The Composition of QD loaded scintillators are about 99 wt% Toluene as solvent, 1 wt% of PPO as primary scintillator and 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 wt% of QDs as solute. For the spectra responsibility of QD scintillation, they were irradiated for 30 second with 6 MV beam from a LINAC ($Infinity^{TM}$, Elekta). With the guidance of 1.0 mm core diameter optical fiber, scintillation spectrums were measured by a compact CCD spectrometer which could measure 200~1,000 nm wavelength range (CCS200, Thorlabs). We measured the spectra responsibilities of QD loaded organic liquid scintillators in two scintillation mechanisms. First was the direct transfer and second was using wave shifter. The emission peaks from the direct transfer were measured to be much smaller luminescent intensity than based on the wavelength shift from the PPO to QDs. The emission peak was shifted from PPO emission wavelength 380 nm to each emission wavelength of loaded QD. In both mechanisms, 500 nm QD loaded samples were observed to radiate in the highest luminescence intensity. We observed the spectra responsibility of QD doped toluene based liquid scintillator in order to innovate QD dosimetry applicator. The liquid scintillator loading 0.2 wt% of 500 nm emission wavelength QD has most superior responsibility at 6 MV photon beam. In this study we observed the spectra responsibilities for therapeutic X-ray range. It would be the first step of innovating new radiation dosimetric methods for radiation treatment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.1045-1051
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• 2023

In this study, we fabricated a liquid light-guide-based radiation sensor with a LaBr₃:Ce scintillator for remote gamma-ray spectroscopy. We acquired the energy spectra of Cs-137 and Co-60 using the proposed sensor, estimated the energy resolutions of the full energy peaks, and compared the scintillation light output variations. The major peaks of the radionuclides were observed in each result, and the estimated energy resolutions were similar to that of a general NaI(Tl) scintillation detector without a liquid light guide. Moreover, we showed the relationships of energy resolution and analog-to-digital channel regarding the number of photoelectrons produced and confirmed the effects of light guide length on remote gamma-ray spectroscopy. The proposed sensor is expected to be utilized to perform remote gamma-ray spectroscopy for distances of 3 m or more and would find application in many fields of nuclear facilities and industry.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4057-4065
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• 2023

Organic scintillators are widely used for neutron/gamma detection. Pulse shape discrimination algorithms have been commonly used to discriminate the detected radiations. These algorithms have several limits, in particular with plastic scintillator which has lower discrimination ability, compared to liquid scintillator. Recently, machine learning (ML) models have been explored to enhance discrimination performance. Nevertheless, obtaining an accurate ML model or evaluating any discrimination approach requires a reference neutron dataset. The preparation of this is challenging because neutron sources are also gamma-ray emitters. Therefore, this paper proposes a pipeline to prepare clean labeled neutron/gamma datasets acquired by an organic scintillator. The method is mainly based on a Time of Flight setup and Tail-to-Total integral ratio (TTT_ratio) discrimination algorithm. In the presented case, EJ276 plastic scintillator and ²⁵²Cf source were used to implement the acquisition chain. The results showed that this process can identify and remove mislabeled samples in the entire ToF spectrum, including those that contribute to peak values. Furthermore, the process cleans ToF dataset from pile-up events, which can significantly impact experimental results and the conclusions extracted from them.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1979

The light output of the NE213 liquid scintillator to electrons and protons was measured by coincidence spectrometer which employs the time of flight technique. The proton energies (3.2Mev, 4Mev, 5Mev, 6Mev) represent the kinetic energies of recoil protons from elastic scattering of a polyenergetic neutron source Am-Be (about 2-9 Mev) at angle of 45$^{\circ}$ and 60$^{\circ}$. The response of the NE213 liquid scintillator to protons was varied nonolinearly as the energy increased. while the response to electrons was varied linearly. The light intensity produced by electrons was relatively larger than that of protons in the rate of about three times when the same energy was introduced. The results of the light output to protons were similar to those of Batchelor et al.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.847-856
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• 2019

The various environmental issues arose with the development of today's economy. naturally, people were increased interest in environment and the importance of research on drinking water and contamination are emerging especially. A number of country areas, uranium and ²²²Rn in ground water have been detected to people using as drinking water. So this study evaluated the way for more accurate measurements than when measuring ²²²Rn concentrations in the ground water containing. the experiment was performed using the low-level liquid scintillation counter with an alpha, beta analysis easy PSA function of pulse. the scintillator as the preparation of the ground water samples are mixed, the measure value detection is lowered over prepare period and expiration date. Energy spectrum was also moved to a lower side channel. As a long time to buy the scintillator and over time after opening, it was confirmed that detection is lowered. if the purpose is to use a different scintillator can see the energy through the channel change.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.12
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• pp.4067-4071
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• 2021

The ¹³C (α,n)¹⁶O reaction cross-section is important data for nuclear physics, astrophysical, and neutrino physics experiments, however, they exhibit uncertainties due to the discrepancies in the experimental data. In this study, using the Nedis-2m program code, the energy spectrum of α-induced neutrons in a thin carbon target was calculated and the corresponding reaction cross-section was refined in the alpha particle energy range of 5-8 MeV. The results were used to calculate the intensity and energy spectrum of background neutrons produced in the liquid scintillator of KamLAND. The results will be useful in a variety of astrophysical and neutrino experiments especially those based on LS or Gd-LS detectors.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.621-626
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• 2017

In this paper, an optical dosimetric system for radiation dose measurement is developed and characterized for 100 MeV proton beams in KOMAC(Korea Multi-Purpose Accelerator Complex). The system consists of 10 wt% Ultima GoldTM liquid organic scintillator in the ethanol, a camera lens(50 mm / f1.8), and a high sensitivity CMOS(complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) camera (ASI120MM, ZWO Co.). The FOV(field of view) of the system is designed to be 150 mm at a distance of 2 m. This system showed sufficient linearity in the range of 1~40 Gy for the 100 MeV proton beams in KOMAC. We also successfully got the percentage depth dose and the isodose curves of the 100 MeV proton beams from the captured images. Because the solvent is not a human tissue equivalent material, we can not directly measure the absorbed dose of the human body. Through this study, we have established the optical dosimetric procedure and propose a new volume dose assessment method.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.173-182
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• 2003

A prototype liquid scillatillator system for measurement of multiple beta-labeled mixtures was developed and its characteristic was investigated. The signal processing system consists of two photomultiplier tubes and the coincident count circuit. The characteristic of the system was analyzed using 4 beta-labeled samples $(^3H,\;^{14}C,\;^{36}Cl\;and\;^{90}Sr)$. Beta spectra from the samples were obtained without radiation shielding, and the detection limits for each nuclides were estimated based on the spectra. The estimated detection limits were compared to the legal regulation values. It is found that the liquid radioactive nuclides are detectable well below the legal regulation values.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.51-53
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• 2002

The results of the measured specific activities of Rn-222 in sewerage and drinking water of Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia using the HP-Ge gamma-spectrometer, solid state nuclear track detector and liquid scintillator, are compared. The specific radioactivity for the Rn-222 in water of Ulaanbaatar City ranged 10-250 Bk/l, with an average of 110 Bk/l.