• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.37.1-37.1
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• 2021

For the first time in Korea, we are developing technology for gravitational wave (GW) detectors as a major R&D program. Our main research target is quantum noise reduction technology which can enhance the sensitivity of a GW detector beyond its limit by classical physics. Technology of generating squeezed vacuum state of light (SQZ) can suppress quantum noise (shot noise at higher frequencies and radiation pressure noise at lower frequencies) of laser interferometer type GW detectors. Squeezing technology has recently started being used for GW detectors and becoming necessary and key components. Our ultimate goal is to participate and make contribution to international collaborations for upgrade of existing GW detectors and construction of next generation GW detectors. This presentation will summarize our results in 2020 and plan for the upcoming years. Technical details will be presented in other family talks.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.65-68
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• 2009

Metal-semiconductor contact is very important for the operating property of semiconductor detector. $Cd_{0.96}$ $Zn_{0.04}$ Te semiconductor crystal was grown with Bridgman method, and the crystal was cut and polished. EPMA (Electron Probe Micro Analyzer) and ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) analysis were done to obtain the chemical composition and impurity of the crystal. Metal contact was deposited with thermal evaporator on both sides of the crystal. Detectors with Au/CZT/Au and In/CZT/Au structure were made, and I-V curve and the energy spectrum were measured with the detectors. It could be seen that the detector with the In/CZT/Au structure has superior property than the detector with Au/CZT/Au structure when the crystal resistivity was low. However, the metal contact structure effect becomes low when the crystal resistivity was high.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1988

A bubble-damage polymer detector, which operation principles are based on vaporization of superheated liquid drops by interaction with radiations, is developed for neutron dosimetry. The detectors are fabricated by dispersing the superheated liquid drops of Freon12 into transparent and elastic polymer made of acylamide and glycerine. The bubbles formed by neutron irradiation are immediately visible. The neutron sensitivity of the detectors is 4-7 bubbles/10$\mu$ Sv for Am-Be neutrons.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.81-84
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• 2013

The use of the dosimetry have been increasingly recognized as high radiation energy and radiation treatment planning(RTP) have rapidly developed in radiotherapy. There are many types of detectors for the dosimetry such as ionization chamber, film, TLD, diode, and etc. Among such detectors, the diode detector uses a photoconductor materials that generate electrical signals by the incident radiation energy. Though many research groups are recently interested in such materials, there is few experimental results except for silicon in the radiation therapy field. In this study, the feasibility of photoconductor materials was verified as a dosimeter through the evaluation of response properties at a high radiation energy. For the fabricated detectors based on $HgI_2$ and $PbI_2$, reproducibility, linearity, and pulse-rate response were analyzed. Such evaluations are essential factors for the use of dosimeter. From results, linearity and reproducibility of the fabricated $HgI_2$ detector indicated about 7% error. The fabricated $PbI_2$ detector showed 1.7% error in linearity, and 12.2% error in reproducibility.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.158-165
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• 2017

Background: Nuclear facilities in South Korea have generally adopted pressurized ion chambers to measure ambient gamma ray exposure rates for monitoring the impact of radiation on the surrounding environment. The rates assessed with pressurized ion chambers do not distinguish between natural and man-made radiation, so a further step is needed to identify the cause of abnormal variation. In contrast, using NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors to detect gamma energy rates can allow an immediate assessment of the cause of variation through an analysis of the energy spectra. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted to propose a more effective way to monitor ambient gamma exposure rates. Materials and Methods: The following methods were used to analyze gamma energy spectra measured from January to November 2016 with NaI detectors installed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) dormitory and Hanbat University. 1) Correlations of the variation of rates measured at the two locations were determined. 2) The dates, intervals, duration, and weather conditions were identified when rates increased by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more. 3) Differences in the NaI spectra on normal days and days where rates spiked by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more were studied. 4) An algorithm was derived for automatically calculating the net variation of the rates. Results and Discussion: The rates measured at KAERI and Hanbat University, located 12 kilometers apart, did not show a strong correlation (coefficient of determination = 0.577). Time gaps between spikes in the rates and rainfall were factors that affected the correlation. The weather conditions on days where rates went up by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more featured rainfall, snowfall, or overcast, as well as an increase in peaks of the gamma rays emitted from the radon decay products of $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ in the spectrum. This study assumed that $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ exist at a radioactive equilibrium, since both have relatively short half-lives of under 30 minutes. Provided that this assumption is true and that the gamma peaks of the 352 keV and 1,764 keV gamma rays emitted from the radionuclides have proportional count rates, no man-made radiation should be present between the two energy levels. This study proved that this assumption was true by demonstrating a linear correlation between the count rates of these two gamma peaks. In conclusion, if the count rates of these two peaks detected in the gamma energy spectrum at a certain time maintain the ratio measured at a normal time, such variation can be confirmed to be caused by natural radiation. Conclusion: This study confirmed that both $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ have relatively short half-lives of under 30 minutes, thereby existing in a radioactive equilibrium in the atmosphere. If the gamma peaks of the 352 keV and 1,764 keV gamma rays emitted from these radionuclides have proportional count rates, no man-made radiation should exist between the two energy levels.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2012

Aquisition of accurate beam data is very important to calculate a reliable dose distribution of the treatment planning system for small radiation fields in intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery(SRS). For the measurement of small fields, the choice of a suitable detector is important due to the shape gradient in profile penumbra, the lack of lateral electronic equilibrium, and the effect of effective detector volume. Therefore, this study was to analyze the dosimetric characteristics of various detectors in measurement of beam data for small fields of linear accelerator. 0.01cc and 0.13cc ion chambers (CC01 and CC13) and a stereotactic diode detector(SFD) were used for measurement of small fields. The beam data, including the percent depth dose, output factor, and beam profile were acquired under 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams. Measurements were performed with the field size ranging from $2{\times}2cm^2$ to $5{\times}5cm^2$. For $2{\times}2cm^2$ field size, the differences of the ratios of $PDD_{20}$ and $PDD_{10}$ measured by CC01 and SFD detectors were 1.02% and 0.12% for 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. For field sizes larger than $3{\times}3cm^2$, the differences of values of $PDD_{20}/PDD_{10}$ obtained from each detector were 1.15% and 0.71% for 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. The output factors obtained from CC01 and SFD for $2{\times}2cm^2$ field size were within 0.5% and 1.5% for 6 MV and 15 MV, respectively. The differences in output factor of three detectors for $3{\times}3cm^2$ to $5{\times}5cm^2$ field sizes were within 0.5%. Profile penumbras measured by the SFD, CC01, and CC13 detectors at three depths were average 2.7 mm and 3.5 mm, 3.4 mm and 4.3 mm, and 5.2 mm and 6.1 mm for 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. In conclusion, it could be possible to use of the CC01 and SFD detectors for the measurement of percent depth dose and output factor for $2{\times}2cm^2$ field size, and to use of three detectors for $3{\times}3cm^2$ to $5{\times}5cm^2$ field sizes. CC01 and SFD detectors, consider ably smaller than the radiation field, should be used in order to accurately measure the profile penumbra for small field sizes.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.101-112
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• 1989

The treatment planning and dosimetry of small fields for stereotactic radiosurgery with 10 MV x-ray isocentrically mounted linear accelerator is presented. Special consideration in this study was given to the variation of absorbed dose with field size, the central axis percent depth doses and the combined moving beam dose distribution. The collimator scatter correction factors of small fields $(1\times1\~3\times3cm^2)$ were measured with ion chamber at a target chamber distance of 300cm where the projected fields were larger than the polystyrene buildup caps and it was calibrated with the tissue equivalent solid state detectors of small size (TLD, PLD, ESR and semiconductors). The central axis percent depth doses for $1\timesl\;and\;3\times3cm^2$ fields could be derived with the same acuracy by interpolating between measured values for larger fields and calculated zero area data, and it was also calibrated with semiconductor detectors. The agreement between experimental and calculated data was found to be under $2\%$ within the fields. The three dimensional dose planning of stereotactic focusing irradiation on small size tumor regions was performed with dose planning computer system (Therac 2300) and was verified with film dosimetry. The more the number of strips and the wider the angle of arc rotation, the larger were the dose delivered on tumor and the less the dose to surrounding the normal tissues. The circular cone, we designed, improves the alignment, minimizes the penumbra of the beam and formats ball shape of treatment area without stellate patterns. These dosimetric techniques can provide adequate physics background for stereotactic radiosurgery with small radiation fields and 10MV x-ray beam.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2011

The PHENIX Experiment is the largest of the four experiments that have taken data at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. PHENIX, the Pioneering High Energy Nuclear Interaction eXperiment, is designed specifically to measure direct probes of the collisions such as electrons, muons, and photons. The primary goal of PHENIX is to discover and study a new state of matter called the Quark-Gluon Plasma. Among many particles, muons coming from W-boson decay gives us key information to analyze the spin of proton. Resistive plate chambers are proposed as a suitable solution as a muon trigger because of their fast response and good time resolution, flexibility in signal readout, robustness and the relatively low cost of production. The RPC detectors for upgrade were assembled and their performances were evaluated. The procedure to make the detectors better was optimized and described in detail in this thesis. The code based on ROOT was written and by using this the performance of the detectors made was evaluated, and all of the modules for north muon arm met the criteria and installation at PHENIX completed in November 2009. As RPC detectors that we made showed fast response, capacity of covering wide area with a resonable price and good spatial resolution, this will give the opportunity for applications, such as diagnosis and customs inspection system.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 1997

Neutron room scattering corrections that should be made when neutron detectors are calibrated with a $D_2O$ moderated $^{252}Cf$ neutron source in the center of a calibration room are considered. Such room scattering corrections are dependent on specific neutron source type, detector type, calibration distance, and calibration room configuration. Room scattering corrections for the responses of a thermoluminescence dosimeter and two different types of spherical detectors to neutron source in the Radiation Calibration Laboratory(RCL) neutron calibration facility at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI) were experimentally determined and are presented. The measured room scattering results are then compared with theoretical results calculated by predicting room scattering effects in terms of parameters related to the specific configuration. Agreement between measured and calculated scattering correction is generally about 10% for three kinds of detectors in the calibration facility.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2010

Prototype double-scattering Compton camera, which consists of three gamma-ray detectors, that is, two double-sided silicon strip detectors (DSSDs) as scatterer detectors and a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector as an absorber detector, could provide high imaging resolution with a compact system. In the present study, the energy resolution and the timing resolution of component detectors were measured, and the parameters affecting the energy resolution of the DSSD were examined in terms of equivalent noise charge (ENC). The energy resolutions of the DSSD-1 and DSSD-2 were, in average, $25.2keV{\pm}0.8keV$ FWHM and $31.8keV{\pm}4.6keV$ FWHM at the 59.5 keV peak of $^{241}Am$, respectively. The timing resolutions of the DSSD and NaI(Tl) scintillation detector were 57.25 ns FWHM and 7.98 ns FWHM, respectively. In addition, the Compton image was obtained for a point-like $^{137}Cs$ gamma source with double-scattering Compton camera. From the present experiment, the imaging resolution of 8.4 mm FWHM (angular resolution of $8.1^{\circ}$ FWHM), and the imaging sensitivity of $1.5{\times}10^{-7}$ (intrinsic efficiency of $1.9{\times}10^{-6}$) were obtained.