• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2016

Background: In order to measure neutron energy spectra, the conventional Bonner Sphere Spectrometers (BSS) are widely used. In this spectrometer, several measurements with different size Bonner spheres are required. Operators should, therefore, place these spheres in several times to a measurement point where radiation dose might be relatively high. In order to reduce this effort, novel neutron energy spectrometer using an onion-like single Bonner sphere was proposed in our group. This Bonner sphere has multiple sensitive spherical shell layers in the single sphere. In this spectrometer, a band-shaped thermal neutron detection medium, which consists of a LiF-ZnS mixed powder scintillator sheet and a wavelength-shifting (WLS) fiber readout, was looped to each sphere at equal angular intervals. Amount of LiF neutron converter is reduced near polar region, where the band-shaped detectors are concentrated, in order to uniform the directional sensitivity. The LiF-ZnS mixed powder has an advantage of extremely high light yield. However, since it is opaque, scintillation photons cannot be collect uniformly. This type of detector shows no characteristic shape in the pulse height spectrum. Subsequently, it is difficult to set the pulse height discrimination level. This issue causes sensitivity fluctuation due to gain instability of photodetectors and/or electric modules. Materials and Methods: In order to solve this problem, we propose to replace the LiF-ZnS mixed powder into a flexible and Transparent RUbber SheeT type $LiCaAlF_6$ (TRUST LiCAF) scintillator. TRUST LiCAF scintillator can show a peak shape corresponding to neutron absorption events in the pulse height spectrum. Results and Discussion: We fabricated the prototype detector with five sensitive layers using TRUST LiCAF scintillator and conducted basic experiments to evaluate the directional uniformity of the sensitivity. Conclusion: The fabricated detector shows excellent directional uniformity of the neutron sensitivity.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.9
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• pp.3602-3607
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• 2024

The present work is devoted to implementation of the stilbene-based neutron spectrometer energy calibration method. The results of experiments with portable neutron generators and 238PuBe source and scattering materials with known cross sections are used for this method. It is shown that the submitted method makes it possible to carry out fast neutron spectrometry in the energy range from 1 to 15 MeV with the uncertainty of the unfolded neutron energy no more than 200 keV. Neutron spectra unfolding was carried out based on the measured spectra and a Geant4 simulated response matrix. Unfolded spectra were compared with the literature data and reference spectra.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.2138-2150
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• 2020

We report the status of the cold neutron triple-axis spectrometer (Cold TAS) and thermal neutron triple-axis spectrometer (Thermal TAS) installed at HANARO. Cold TAS, whose specifications are standard across the world, is in the final phase of commissioning. Proper instrument operation was confirmed through a feasibility study of phonon measurements and data analyses with resolution convolution. In contrast, Thermal TAS is in the initial phase of commissioning, and improvement of the monochromator drum is now in progress from the viewpoint of radiation shielding. In addition, we report recent activities in the development of neutron basic elements, that is, film-coated Si-wafer collimators, which are promising for use in triple-axis spectroscopy, particularly in Cold TAS.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 1992

For the neutron spectrum measurement, $^6Li$ neutron spectrometer system is installed. The characteristic of the $^6Li$ detector are investigated using a $^{137}Cs$ and $^{207}Bi$ point source, and the neutron capture peaks and the pulse height spectrum using an $^{214}Am-Be$ neutron source are measured. Furthermore, the pulse height spectrum for the irradiation time variation from the (214)^Am-Be neutron source, and for the distance variation between detector and source, and the threshold variation of discriminator are measured.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.586-586
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• 2012

The vuv spectrometer for ITER main plasma measurement is designed as a five-channel spectral system. To develop and verify the design, a two-channel prototype system was fabricated with No. 3 (14.4-31.8 nm) and No. 4 (29.0-60.0 nm) among the five channels. For test of the prototype system, a hollow cathode lamp is used as a light source. The system is composed of a collimating mirror to collect the light from source to slit, and two holographic diffraction gratings with toroidal geometry to diffract and also to collimate the light from the common slit to detectors. The overall system performance was verified by comparing the measured spectral resolutions with the calculated spectral resolutions. And we also have developed liquid jet target system. This study is about a neutron generator, which is designed to overcome many of the limitations of traditional beam-target neutron generators by utilizing a liquid target. One of the most critical aspects of the beam-target neutron generator is the target integrity under the beam exposure. A liquid target can be a good solution to overcome damage to the target such as target erosion and depletion of hydrogen isotopes in the active layer, especially for the ones operating at high neutron fluxes and maintained relatively thin with no need for water cooling. In this study, liquid target containing hydrogen has been developed and tested.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.116-131
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• 1972

A fast neutron time-of-flight spectrometer has been constructed with suitable choice of target thickness and proton bombarding energy in Li$^{7}$ (p, n) Be$^{7}$ nuclear reaction for a continuous keV spectrum of neutrons at 0 degree in 1-nsec pulse from a Van do Graaff and a time-pick-up fast neutron detector assembled with a 5 mm-thick 92% enriched B$^{10}$ slab and four heavily shielded 4＂$\times$3＂ NaI scintillation detectors. Energy resolution of this spectrometer is better than 0.3% at 50 keV and the signal-to-background ratio is also improved. Total cross section measurements of several separated single isotopes have been carried out with this spectrometer and analyzed by Rmaxtrix multi-level computer code. The spin values and resonance parameters of each individual resonances are given.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.182-189
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• 2018

A neutron generation system was developed to induce fissile fission in a lead slowing down spectrometer (LSDS) system. The source neutron is one of the key factors for LSDS system work. The LSDS was developed to quantify the isotopic contents of fissile materials in spent nuclear fuel and recycled fuel. The source neutron is produced at a multilayered target by the (e,${\gamma}$)(${\gamma}$,n) reaction and slowed down at the lead medium. Activation analysis of the target materials is necessary to estimate the lifetime, durability, and safety of the target system. The CINDER90 code was used for the activation analysis, and it can involve three-dimensional geometry, position dependent neutron flux, and multigroup cross-section libraries. Several sensitivity calculations for a metal target with different geometries, materials, and coolants were done to achieve a high neutron generation rate and a low activation characteristic. Based on the results of the activation analysis, tantalum was chosen as a target material due to its better activation characteristics, and helium gas was suggested as a coolant. In addition, activation in a lead medium was performed. After a distance of 55 cm from the lead surface to the neutron incidence, the neutron intensity dramatically decreased; this result indicates very low activation.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2013

Operational nuclear facilities such as nuclear power plants and particle accelerators show various neutron spectra according to the type of facilities and specific position. Necessities of neutron dose management and neutron monitoring for radiation protection of radiation workers in such a kind of facilities have continuously increased in recent years. Bonner sphere spectrometers are widely used for measurement of neutron spectra. Data on response function of neutron detector, default neutron spectra and count rates of Bonner sphere spectrometer are required to obtain unfolded neutron spectra in specific workplaces. In this study, we carried out measurement of neutron spectra produced in MC50 cyclotron using Bonner sphere spectrometer with LiI scintillation detector. Additionally, we estimated quantitative data on neutron flux, mean neutron energy and ambient dose equivalent rate according to the incident proton energies and positions in MC50 cyclotron.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2001

In order to shield the neutrons affecting the background of Low Level Gamma Ray Spectrometer, a neutron shielder was designed. The method used in this study for neutron shielding was the deceleration of fast neutrons by high density polyethylene(HDPE) and the absorption of those slowing-down neutrons by $B_4C$. The calculation results of neutron Interaction in HDPE using Monte Carlo simulation code MCNP4B showed that the thermal-neutron flux was maximum at 10 cm thickness of HDPE. The results also showed that 95% of the thermal neutrons were absorbed by 2 mm thickness of $B_4C$ absorber Consisted of 30 w% $B_4C$ and 70 w% polymer. The results of the Monte Carlo calculation were in good agreement with the experimental value obtained by a neutron shielding apparatus designed for this purpose.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.51-62
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• 1989

The high efficiency moderated-type neutron spectrometer and doseequivalent counter were developed for the measurement of low level environmental neutrons. By using these detectors, the neutron energy spectra and dose equivalent rates due to skyshine effect were measured in the environment surrounding the accelerator facilities and also the altitude variation of cosmic ray neutrons in the aircraft flying over Japan.