Study of neutron generation from relativistic heavy ion interactions

Study has been carried out on neutron generation in the interactions of 44 and 18 GeV ¹²C with Cu-and Pb-targets. The properties studied include, (1) Relative yields of secondary neutrons generated in 44 GeV versus in 18 GeV ¹²C bombardment to Cu target and also to Pb target. The ratios of these are 2.12±0.19 and 2.04±0.15, respectively, which is nearly in consistence with but somewhat larger than the values of theoretical calculations for Cu target. (2) Relative yields of secondary neutrons produced in Pb target versus in Cu target. The ratios obtained are 2.54±0.20 and 2.56±0.20 for 44 GeV and 18 GeV, respectively. More neutrons are generated in Pb target than in Cu target.     

Investigation of neutron spectrum emitted from 44 GeV C+Cu interactions with nuclear emulsion

The Energy Spectrum of fast neutrons produced in 44 GeV ¹²C+Cu interactions has been measured and analysed with nuclear emulsion of 8 cm in length, 2.2 cm in width and 400 μm in thickness made in China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, China. The irradiation of the emulsion was carried out at the accelerator SYNCHROPHASOTRON of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia. The neutron spectrum was obtained through measuring the recoil protons in emulsion and the track parameters of particles from interactions of ¹²C(n,n′)3 in emulsion. The experimental neutron spectrum was compared with the results of a Monte-Carlo calculation, which shows that the shapes of both neutron spectra are identical within the limits of their statistical accuracy.     

Observation of the reaction products formed in the interaction of 3.65 A GeV O ions with thick copper target at wide angles

Experiments have been carried out to study the ‘heavy fragments’ emitted at wide angles in the interaction of 3.65 A GeV ¹⁶O ions with a thick Cu target, using a stack of CR-39 track detectors. Diametric distribution in a stack registering ¹⁶O-beam halo are compared with diameters observed in a stack placed downstream at an angle of 25°. There is a strong indication that the heavy fragments are scattered at large angles.     

High flux neutron production from C beams on heavy targets

Spallation neutrons produced from ¹²C ions at 18 and 44 GeV on Cu and Pb targets were studied as well as thermalization in appropriate moderators. The irradiation were performed at the Dubna LHE Synchrophasotron. Results are given for thermal and fast neutrons estimated and compared with different experimental methods.     

Techniques to investigate the characteristic of CR-39 detectors using Am---Be neutron source

Two techniques have been developed to investigate the characteristic of the sensitivity of CR-39 (polyallyldiglycol carbonate) track detector using Am---Be neutron source. The firstis to measure volume track density created by fast neutrons in CR-39 detectors. The second is to measure areal asymptotic track density on the surface of CR-39 sheets. Two types of CR-39—SY-2 CR-39 made in China and another made in USA were calibrated using the techniques. It shows that the two types of CR-39 detectors have nearly the same sensitivity to detect fast neutrons. The techniques developed in this work can be applied to calibration of other track detectors.     

Neutron production in extended Cu-target irradiated with relativistic C-ions at Dubna, as studied with SSNTD and nuclear chemistry

An extended Cu-target was irradiated with 22 and 44 GeV carbon ions. The target was in contact with a (CH₂)_n-block for the moderation of secondary neutrons. Small holes in the moderator were filled with either lanthanium salts or uranium oxide. The reaction ¹³⁹La (n,γ) ¹⁴⁰La was studied via the decay of ¹⁴⁰La (40 h), and the reaction ²³⁸U (n, γ) ²³⁹U ²³⁹Np was studied via the decay of ²³⁹Np (2.3 d). In addition, a variety of solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) were used. Results will be presented. The yields for the formation of (n, γ) products agree essentially with other experiments on extended targets carried out at the Synchrophasotron LHE, JINR (Dubna). To a first approximation, the breeding rate of (n, γ) products, as well as the specific track density, seen with several SSNTDs, doubles when the carbon energy is increased from 22 to 44 GeV. If, however, results at 44 GeV are compared in detail to those at 22 GeV, we observe an excess of (37 ± 9) % in the experimentally observed ²³⁹Np-breeding rate over theoretical estimations. Experiments using solid state nuclear track detectors are giving similar results. We also observed in the past such excess in the yield of other secondary particles in relativistic heavy ion interactions above a total energy of approximately 35–40 GeV.     

Optimization of CR-39 for fast neutron dosimetry applications

We present the results of an experimental work aimed at improving the performances of the CR-39^® (Registered Trademark of PPG Industries Inc.) nuclear track detector for neutron dosimetry applications. The work was done in collaboration with the Intercast Europe S.p.A., producer of CR-39 for commercial and scientific applications. We compare the CR-39 made with different additives concentrations and different polymerization processes. We evaluate the response of the CR-39 to fast neutrons from three sources: ²⁴¹Am---Be, ²⁵²Cf and ²³⁸Pu---Li. Particular attention was paid to background fluctuations that limit the lower detectable dose.     

Do we really understand nuclear reactions within thick targets using GeV-hadrons?

Three experimental evidences are presented to show that, using classical concepts of physics, we are unable to understand the interaction of 72 GeV ⁴⁰Ar (and 44 GeV ¹²C) and their relativistic secondary fragments in thick Cu-targets. The first observation is connected with fragmentation products of mass A in the range of 10A40, in particular to the production of more-than-calculated yields of ²⁴Na. The reason for this unexpected behavior is due to some enhanced interaction properties for relativistic secondary fragments. Moreover, due to the observation of constant classical total interaction cross sections for primary and secondary hadrons, this enforces a reduced production of spallation products being close to the target, as is in fact experimentally observed (the second evidence). The third experimental observation is a more-than-linear increase in the production of secondary neutrons for reactions induced by 44 GeV ¹²C in thick Pb- and Cu-targets as compared to 12 GeV ¹²C. This can be understood within the context of the first two experimental evidences. These effects are experimentally confirmed above about 40 GeV for hadronic primaries, however, they may even extend down to 1 GeV primary hadron energy.

Results are discussed within the context of a new theoretical approach.     

Investigation of nuclear reaction products by atomic force microscopy

The use of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM, from Corporate Head, Santa Clara, California, USA) opened a new way to study latent nuclear tracks. In our experiments we used plastic track detectors of the type CR-39 (Columbia Resin No. 39) Impinging ions with energy above a threshold of 180 keV can alter the molecular structure forming latent tracks. Since nuclear latent tracks have diameters in the range of 10 to 1000 nm, they can be visualized by AFM with a slight chemical etching (6 min in 6 n NaOH solution at 70 °C). These tracks are significant for the energy, momentum and the mass of the incoming particles. In our study, passive CR-39 detectors were irradiated by secondary particles produced bombarding ¹⁰³Rh by ¹⁶O and ¹²C in a wide range of energy (1 MeV/amu to 33 MeV/amu) at the MP Tandem generator of the Laboratorio Nazionale del Sud in Catania, Italy. The experiment was carried out in order to identify the secondary particles and to determine their density and the spatial distribution.     

Application of CR-39 for alpha-autoradiography and in vivo detection of B accumulations in tumor bearing mice

It is required to achieve an accurate measurement of ¹⁰B distributions and concentrations in the tumor cells for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). We employed a technique of neutron capture autoradiography (NCAR) of the whole body samples of tumor bearing mice using CR-39 plastic track detectors to the measurements of ¹⁰B accumulations in mice. In order to confirm the validity of the NCAR measurements, the differential REL spectrum for the neutron-induced particles emitted from the standard filter paper sheets was compared with that for ¹⁰B-compound solution. Differential REL spectrum for protons originated from the biogenically abundant nuclides through ¹⁴N (n, p)¹⁴C and ¹H (n, n′) ¹H reactions was measured in vivo using a small piece of CR-39 inserted into the tumor of mouse.     

Stopping powers of CR-39 nuclear track material for Z=1−14 ions with 0.25–2.8 MeV/u

Experimental studies of the slowing down of ¹H, ⁴He, ⁷Li, ¹¹B, ¹²C, ¹⁴N, ¹⁶O, ²³Na, ²⁷Al and ²⁸Si ions in CR-39 nuclear track etch material in the ion energy range 0.25–2.8 MeV/u are presented. The ion stopping powers obtained are compared to the predictions of two recent semiempirical models for calculating ion stopping powers. The predictions are found to clearly underestimate the observed stopping powers for ⁷Li, ¹¹B, ¹²C, ²³Na, ²⁷Al and ²⁸Si ions.     

The effect of etching solution composition on the response of an electrochemically etched CR-39 detector

Etching solutions of different compositions were applied at room temperature (22°C) for electrochemical etching. The background developed during electrochemical etching in a CR-39 track detector was investigated. Detectors irradiated with alphas of 5.49 MeV were measured also. It was found that the PEW solutions (potassiumhydroxid, ethylalcohol, water) showed good sensitivity. One of them (PEW_20/40 was applied for neutrons from a ²⁵²Cf source. The achieved registration sensitivity was about 10⁻⁵ spot/n after 3 hours of etching time.     

Angular and dose dependence of CR-39 neutron response for shape-selected tracks

A shape selection method corresponding to an energy discrimination was used to eliminate unwanted events disturbing evaluation of CR-39 detectors in detecting tracks induced by particles both of perpendicular and oblique incidence. The angular dependence of the response was examined, detecting fast neutrons from ²⁵²Cf with shape selection technique at various angles and distances. Also, the CR-39 track detectors with the ²⁵²Cf source were exposed to high γ-intensity of a ⁶⁰Co irradiation facility in the range 0.1 to 4.5 kGy, similar to the exposures inside spent fuel assemblies. Using the two functions the lower limit of burnup could be determined by the method.     

Characteristics of multifragmentation of Au induced by 7 and 14.4 GeV He

The multifragmentation reaction channel has been investigated in the 7 and 14.4 GeV ⁴He interactions with Au target by using the CR-39 plastic track detector. Our experimental technique enabled an event-by-event analysis of the events. It has been observed that the multiplicity of events is not scaling with excitation energy. Also, an attempt has been made to reveal the scenario of multifragmentation by using angular correlations of fragments.     

Angular response characteristic of pyramid shape fast neutron dosimeter using CR-39 films

CR-39 is a highly sensitive etched track detector for neutron monitoring and dosimetry applications but its dose equivalent response is strongly direction dependent with respect to the incident neutrons. This is considered to be a major drawback for their use. In the present study, an attempt has been made to develop a pyramid shaped dosimeter, which consists of polyethylene material of thickness 1 mm with the provision to hold three CR-39 films at an angle of 35° to each other. The response of CR-39 in this configuration under optimum electrochemical etching at elevated temperature have been found nearly angular independent and therefore the dosimeter can be used for neutron monitoring, i.e. personnel as well as area monitoring.     

Dosimetry of 40 and 70 MeV/n O beams

Using CR-39 plastic track detectors the range values of ¹⁶O ions at two different energies (initially in the beam line, 39.97 MeV/n and 69.98 MeV/n) were measured after escaping the beam pipe and found to be (3050 ± 40) μm and (8210 ± 90) μm, respectively. The longitudinal and projected angular spread of oxygen ions of an initial energy of 69.98 MeV/n in the region of the Bragg peak was derived from the measured geometrical parameters of tracks. Based on a calibration curve (etch rate ratio vs total linear energy transfer in CR-39) and the measured track length distribution at the range end of oxygen ions, the complete depth dose profile of a 67.7 MeV/n ¹⁶O beam in CR-39 (plateau, extended Bragg peak and residual ionization caused by projectile like fragments) was obtained.     

Experimental and Monte-Carlo studies of the spatial distribution of neutrons around extended Pb-spallation target

The spatial distribution of thermal and fast neutrons on the surface of a paraffin moderator surrounding a cylindrical lead target, irradiated with 1 GeV protons was studied. The lead target had 8 cm diameter and 20 cm length. The thickness of the paraffin around the target was 6 cm. The slow and fast neutron distributions were determined using LR 115 2B and CR-39 detectors via the ¹⁰B(n,) reaction and neutron induced nuclear recoils, respectively. The observed slow and fast neutron distributions on the surface of the paraffin were compared with Monte-Carlo simulations using the MCNPX-2.1.5 code.     

The investigation of fragments produced in the interaction of relativistic F-ions and copper and emitted at large angles

Within the framework of the study of the behaviour of relativistic particles formed in the interaction of 65 GeV ¹⁹F-ions and a 1 cm thick Cu target, the wide angle emission of heavy fragments has been studied using CR-39 (INTERCAST) as a detector.     

Spectroscopy of C

The ¹⁴C(t, p)¹⁶C reaction locates five new states in ¹⁶C, at excitation energies of 3120 ± 15, 3983 ± 10, 4136 ± 10 and 6109 ± 15 keV, in addition to the g.s. and 1.76 MeV states. The 3.02 and 3.98 MeV states appear to be the second 0⁺ and 2⁺ 2p-2h states, respectively. The 4.14 MeV state has J^π = 4⁺ and the 6.11 MeV state has J^π = 2⁺, 3⁻, or 4⁺.     

Registration temperature effect on sensitivity of CR-39(DOP) and SR-90 polymer track detectors

The samples of CR-39(DOP) and SR-90 polymer track detectors have been exposed to -particles from ²⁴¹Am source in an exposure unit. The temperature of the detectors during irradiation has been varied from −30°C to 70°C. These exposed samples have been etched in 6.25 N NaOH solution at 60°C for various etching times. The variation of sensitivity of these detectors as a function of registration temperature has been studied. It has been observed that at the fixed registration temperature, the sensitivity of SR-90 is more than CR-39(DOP) polymer track detector. However, the enhancement in sensitivity with the decrease in registration temperature is more pronounced in case of CR-39(DOP) than SR-90.