• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.2419-2431
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• 2023

Experiments related to Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) accomplished at the Institute of Nuclear Techniques (INT), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (TUB) are presented. Relevant investigations are required before designing BNCT for vivo applications. Samples of relevant boron compounds (H₃BO₃, BDTPA) usually employed in BNCT were investigated with neutron beam. Channel #5 in the research reactor (100 kW) of INT-TUB provides the neutron beam. Boron samples are mounted on a carrier for neutron irradiation. The particle attenuation of several carrier materials was investigated, and the one with the lowest attenuation was selected. The effects of boron compound type, mass, and compound phase state were also investigated. To detect the emitted charged particles, a traditional ZnS(Ag) detector was employed. The neutron beam's interaction with the detector-detecting layer is investigated. Graphite (as a moderator) was employed to change the neutron beam's characteristics. The fast neutron beam was also thermalized by placing a portable fast neutron source in a paraffin container and irradiating the H₃BO₃. The obtained results suggest that the direct measurement approach appears to be insufficiently sensitive for determining the radiation dose committed by the Alpha particles from the ¹⁰B (n,α) reaction. As a result, a new approach must be used.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.209-215
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• 2017

Fast neutron irradiation was used to improve the switching speed of a 600-V nonpunch-through insulated gate bipolar transistor. Fast neutron irradiation was carried out at 30-MeV energy in doses of $1{\times}10^8n/cm^2$, $1{\times}10^9n/cm^2$, $1{\times}10^{10}n/cm^2$, and $1{\times}10^{11}n/cm^2$. Electrical characteristics such as current-voltage, forward on-state voltage drop, and switching speed of the device were analyzed and compared with those prior to irradiation. The on-state voltage drop of the initial devices prior to irradiation was 2.08 V, which increased to 2.10 V, 2.20 V, 2.3 V, and 2.4 V, respectively, depending on the irradiation dose. This effect arises because of the lattice defects generated by the fast neutrons. In particular, the turnoff delay time was reduced to 92 nanoseconds, 45% of that prior to irradiation, which means there is a substantial improvement in the switching speed of the device.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.7
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• pp.1860-1865
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• 2019

The confinement degradation of the energetic particles during RMP would be a key issue in success of realizing the successful energy production using fusion plasma, because a 3.5 MeV energetic alpha particle should be able to sustain the burning plasma after the ignition. As KSTAR recent results indicate the generation of high-performance plasma(${\beta}_p{\sim}3$), the confinement of the energetic particles is also an important key aspect in neutral beam driven plasma. In general, the measured absolute value of the neutron intensity is generally used for to estimating the confinement time of energetic particles by comparing it with the theoretical value based on transport calculations. However, the availability of, but for its calculation process, many accurate diagnostic data of plasma parameters such as thermal and incident fast ion density, are essential to the calculation process. In this paper, the time evolution of the neutron signal from an He3 counter during the beam blank has permitted to facilitate the estimation of the slowing down time of energetic particles and the method is applied to investigate the fast ion effect on ELM suppressed KSTAR plasma which is heated by high energy deuterium neutral beams.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.45-57
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• 1997

It is mandatory to measure accurately the dose distribution and the total absorbed dose of fast neutron for putting it to the clinical use. At present the methods of measurement of fast neutron are proposed largely by American Associations of Physicists in Medicine, European Clinical Neutron Dosimetry Group, and International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements. The complexity of measurement, however, induces the methodological differences between them. In our study, therefore, we tried to establish a unique technique of measurement by means of measuring the emitted doses and the dose distribution of fast neutron beam from neutron therapy machine, and to invent a standard method of measurement adequate to our situation. For measuring the absorbed doses and the dose distribution of fast neutron beam, we used IC-17 and IC-18 ion chambers manufactured by A-150 plastic(tissue-equivalent material), IC-17M ion chamber manufactured by magnesium, TE gas and Ar gas, and RDM 2A electrometer. The magnitude of gamma-contamination intermingled with fast neutron beam was about 13％ at 5cm depth of standard irradiated field, and increased as the depth was increased. At the central axis the maximum dose depth and 50％ dose depth were 1.32cm and 14.8cm, respectively. The surface dose rate was 41.6-54.1％ throughout the entire irradiated fields and increased as the irradiated fields were increased. Beam profile was that the horn effect of about 7.5％ appeared at 2.5cm depth and the flattest at 10cm depth.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2018.11a
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• pp.114-115
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• 2018

To develop an effective shielding material for spent fuel that emits fast neutrons is necessary. In this study, thermal neutron and fast neutron shielding performance of polyethylene coated boron carbide-incorporated cement paste was quantitatively analyzed by Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code (MCNP) simulations. As the results of the simulations, fast neutrons were effectively shielded through large quantity of hydrogen and boron elements in polyethylene and boron carbide.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.1021-1030
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• 2023

We propose an overall procedure for measuring and unfolding fast neutron spectra using a trans-stilbene scintillation detector. Detector characterization was described, including the information on energy calibration, detector resolution, and nonproportionality response. The digital charge comparison method was used for the investigation of neutron-gamma Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD). A pair of values of 600 ns pulse width and 24 ns delay time was found as the optimized conditions for PSD. A fitting technique was introduced to increase the trans-stilbene Proton Response Function (PRF) by 28% based on comparison of the simulated and experimental electron-equivalent distributions by the Cf-252 source. The detector response matrix was constructed by Monte-Carlo simulation and the spectrum unfolding was implemented using the iterative Bayesian method. The unfolding of simulated and measured spectra of Cf-252 and AmBe neutron sources indicates reliable, stable and no-bias results. The unfolding technique was also validated by the measured cosmic-ray induced neutron flux. Our approach is promising for fast neutron detection and spectroscopy.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.3506-3513
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• 2023

In this paper, we demonstrate the neutron attenuation of dry cask shielding materials using the S670e helium-4 detector manufactured by Arktis Radiation Ltd. In particular, two materials expected to be applied to the TN-32 dry cask manufactured by ORANO Korea and KORAD-21 by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) were utilized. The measured neutron attenuation was compared with our Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport simulation results, and the difference is given as the root mean square (RMS). For the fast neutron case, a rapid decline in neutron counts was observed as a function of increasing material thickness, exhibiting an exponential relationship. The discrepancy between the experimentally acquired data and simulation results for the fast neutron was maintained within a 2.3% RMS. In contrast, the observed thermal neutron count demonstrated an initial rise, attained a maximum value, and exhibited an exponential decline as a function of increasing thickness. In particular, the discrepancy between the measured and simulated peak locations for thermal neutrons displayed an RMS deviation of approximately 17.3-22.4%. Finally, the results suggest that a minimum thickness of 5 cm for Li-6 is necessary to achieve a sufficiently significant cross-section, effectively capturing incoming thermal neutrons within the dry cask.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 1999

Purpose : It has been well established that the response of cells and tissues to low LET radiations (X- or gamma-ray) can be enhanced by combining with hyperthermia. However, there has been relatively little work of hyperthermia on the possible modification of either cellular or tissue responses to other types of radiation. So, we investigated the combined effect of fast neutron irradiation and hyperthermia according to the sequence and time interval of the two. Materials and Methods : In MKN-45 cells, a human stomach cancer ceil line, suwiving fractions were measured according to the sequential treatment of 0, 4, 2, 0 hour-intewal for fast neutron irradiation (1.5 Gy) combined with hyperthermia (41 $^{\circ}C$ for 30 min or 43$^{\circ}C$ for 30 min). Results : D$_{0}$ and n of MKN-45 for neutron were 0.8 Gy and 2.5, respectively. The surviving fraction by 1.5 Gy of neutron was 0.36$\pm$0.34. Interacting powers were mostly ranged between 1 and 2, but they were 3.0 and 2.7, respectively for hyperthermia (41 $^{\circ}C$ for 30 min) fellowed by neutron irradiation 6 and 4 hours later. Conclusion : The combined effect of fast neutron (1.5 Gy) and hyperthermia (41 $^{\circ}C$ or 43$^{\circ}C$ for 30min) is largely independently additive. Preceding mild hyperthermia (41 $^{\circ}C$ for 30 min) 4 or 6 hours before neutron may cause decreased sensitivity to subsequent neutron irradiation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.3784-3789
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• 2021

We report a simple technique for direct neutron spectroscopy using pure LaCl₃ crystals. Pure LaCl₃ crystals exhibit considerably better pulse shape discrimination (PSD) capabilities with relatively good energy resolution as compared with Ce-doped LaCl₃ crystals. Single crystals of pure and Ce-doped LaCl₃ were grown using an inhouse-developed Bridgman furnace. PSD capabilities of these crystals were investigated using ²⁴¹Am and ¹³⁷Cs sources. Fast neutron detection was tested using a²⁵²Cf source and three separate bands corresponding to electron, proton, and alpha were observed. The proton band induced by the ³⁵Cl(n,p)³⁵S reaction can be used for direct neutron spectroscopy because proton energy is proportional to incident neutron energy. Owing to good scintillation performance and excellent PSD capabilities, pure LaCl₃ is a promising candidate for space detectors and other applications that necessitate gamma/fast neutron discrimination capability.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.803-808
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• 2006

The neutron induced nuclear cross section data for Ir-191 and Ir-193 were calculated and evaluated from unresolved resonance energy to 20MeV. The energy-dependent optical model potential parameters were determined based on the experimental data and applied up to 20MeV. A spherical optical model, a statistical model in an equilibrium energy region, and a multistep direct and multistep compound model in a pre-equilibrium energy region were used in the calculations. The direct capture model enhanced the fast neutron capture in the pre-equilibrium energy. The theoretically calculated cross sections were compared with the experimental data and the evaluated files. The calculations were found to be in good agreement with the experiment data. The evaluated cross section results were compiled with the ENDF-6 format. The fast energy results will be merged with the resonance parts to create a full evaluation library. The improvement of the neutron-induced cross section data will contribute to an increase in the efficiency of the production of Ir-192 as a radiation source.