掺钆液闪中子探测器的研制

中子在探测器中能产生与暗物质粒子(WIMPs)类似的核反冲信号,对于低背景的暗物质直接探测实验,精确测量和排除中子的干扰尤其重要。为测量中国锦屏地下实验室(CJPL)中子本底的通量,研制了高效的、具有很强"中子-伽马"分辨的掺钆液闪快中子探测器。介绍了掺钆液闪中子探测器的研制和性能,包括探测器形状和尺寸的设计,液体闪烁体类型、光电倍增管型号以及液闪容器材料的选择,探测器的伽马能量刻度以及中子与伽马信号的甄别。用Am-Be中子源对探测器进行探测效率刻度,得到阈值为0.2 MeV等效电子能量的中子探测效率为(6.30±0.30)%,满足中国锦屏地下实验室对中子通量测量的要求。     

BC537探测器中γ射线的响应函数测量与蒙特卡罗模拟

为了将氘化液闪探测器(BC537)测量的反冲电子谱转换为γ射线能谱,利用标准γ点源对BC537探测器的响应进行了测量并运用基于蒙特卡罗方法的Geant4程序计算了BC537探测器探测γ射线的响应函数。讨论了探测器建模中有无铝壳和入射γ射线束流半径对探测效率和响应函数的影响。对比模拟和实验测量的反冲电子谱,两者符合较好。利用模拟的响应函数和实验测量标准γ源Cs-137和Co-60以及AmBe源在BC537探测器中的反冲电子谱,经迭代法解谱得到了对应的标准γ射线能谱,验证了模拟参数的合理性以及该响应函数的实用性。     

基于裂变γ标识技术的瞬发裂变中子谱测量新方法

瞬发裂变中子谱（prompt fission neutron spectrum,PFNS）是用于核实验诊断过程中十分重要的参数数据,传统的测量主锕系核素（U,Pu）PFNS的技术手段是采用裂变室,利用裂变碎片标识裂变中子,通过中子飞行时间技术获得裂变中子谱.目前出现了一种新的用于PFNS测量的技术,其原理是基于如下的物理事实：在一次裂变过程中,释放中子的同时伴随着释放7–8个γ射线光子,而非弹性散射效应产生的γ射线光子只有1–2个.据此,可以通过裂变γ射线的多重性将裂变中子和其他杂散中子甄选出来,达到测量PFNS的目的.本文建立了基于裂变γ标识技术的PFNS测量实验系统.利用该系统对²⁵²Cf中子源的PFNS进行了实验测量,测量结果与传统的裂变碎片标识法及ENDF/B-VⅡ数据库的标准谱进行了比较,对新方法的裂变标识率以及实验不确定度也一并进行了分析.     

n-r分辨应用于^252Cf自发裂变中子飞行时间谱测量

飞行时间法是精确测量快中子能谱的有效方法。但是在实际应用中，各种中子灵敏探测器同时也对r射线灵敏，中子源的伴随r射线会直接影响中子能谱的求解精度。液体闪烁体BC501具有良好的时间响应特性和n-r分辨本领，广泛适用于r射线场中的快中子参数测量。文中选用液体闪烁体BC501作为快中子探测器，根据中子和丫射线在液体闪烁体中产生的闪烁光退光时间长短的明显差异，应用脉冲上升时间法进行n-r分辨，通过对符合甄别^252Cf自发裂变中子飞行时间谱中的丫射线的效果进行研究，从应用的角度描述了脉冲上升时间法的n-r分辨效果。     

ST401塑料闪烁体中子、r灵敏度测量

ST401塑料闪烁体响应时间快，在脉冲中子源方法测量瞬发中子衰减常数中常用作中子探测器，同时它对于r射线也灵敏。利用加速器DT中子源、裂变谱中子源和^60Co同位素源，分别测量了三种尺寸的ST401塑料闪烁体的裂变谱中子和r射线的灵敏度。     

4He闪烁裂变中子探测器时间响应

研制了可用于脉冲辐射场中子探测的4He闪烁裂变中子探测器,并对其时间响应进行了理论和实验研究。采用经验公式和蒙特卡罗方法模拟计算了不同厚度裂变靶产生的裂变碎片和不同能量中子产生的反冲4He核在4He气中的飞行时间,并依据卷积原理推导出探测器的时间响应计算公式。计算结果表明,探测器的波形上升时间约为19.5 ns,半高宽约31.0 ns。用ING-103型稠密等离子体聚焦装置(DPF)脉冲中子发生器对探测器的时间响应进行了实验测量,实验结果与理论值基本一致。     

聚变中子能谱测量系统脉冲中子灵敏度的实验研究

为多种复杂环境下的稳态和脉冲DT聚变中子能谱测量建立了一种灵敏度优化反冲质子磁谱仪. 使用成像板和同位素α源测量了谱仪的反冲质子能量-位置投影关系. 利用稳态加速器中子源平台、通过单粒子计数方法结合三维带电粒子输运程序模拟,研究了谱仪脉冲中子灵敏度能量响应. 通过高探测效率参数设置使谱仪对DT中子的探测效率达到2×10^-5 cm²水平,从而在较弱中子源上获得了较高统计精度实验数据. 程序模拟结果与谱仪α粒子刻度和DT中子标定实验结果取得了良好的一致性,可由此发展精细解谱技术,以提高脉冲中子能谱测量的灵敏度和能量分辨. 关键词： 聚变中子能谱 磁反冲质子 脉冲中子灵敏度 粒子输运     

薄壁快脉冲252Cf裂变电离室的研制及性能测试

介绍了用于中子探测器效率刻度的薄壁快脉冲252Cf裂变电离室。 在用飞行时间法测量中子能谱时, 该裂变电离室能够给出252Cf裂变中子发射时刻信号, 输出脉冲上升时间约为5.5 ns, 电离室由厚度为0.15 mm的不锈钢构成。 测试结果表明, 对裂变碎片的探测效率为99.2%, α粒子脉冲幅度和碎片脉冲幅度可清晰分开。A thin wall, fast pulse 252Cf ionization chamber, which was designed for calibrating efficiency of neutron detectors, was described. The ionization chamber can be used as the start detector in time of flight measurements of the 252Cf fission neutron spectrum. The chamber is composed of 0.15 mm thick stainless steel, the rise time of pulse signals is about 5.5 ns. As the test result shows, the detection efficiency of fission fragments is 99.2%, and pulse signals caused by fissions are distinguished clearly from those caused by α decays.     

一种基于~4He气闪烁体的裂变中子探测器

研制了一种新中子探测器,它以²³⁵UO₂裂变靶作为转换靶,⁴He气体作为闪烁体.该探测器充分结合了²³⁵U和⁴He两种核素的特点,从而具有中子能量响应平坦、中子灵敏度较高、n/γ分辨本领高等优点,能很好地在混合脉冲裂变辐射场中测量中子.本文对探测器的原理和结构设计进行了介绍,计算了不同能量中子、γ射线在探测器中的能量沉积,并从理论和实验上对探测器的中子灵敏度、γ射线灵敏度、n/γ分辨本领和时间响应进行了研究.结果表明探测器的中子灵敏度约10^-15C·cm²,γ灵敏度约10^-17C·cm²,时间响应约33.1 ns.     

强辐射环境下高能脉冲裂变中子探测方法

在研究通道衰减、探测方法分离和探测器中子/射线本征分辨的基础上,研究了测量高能脉冲裂变中子数目的探测技术。基于电流型Si-PIN探测器,设计了减本底的背靠背探测结构,给出了测量强射线和低能散射中子干扰信号及有效扣除强辐射本底的实现方法,最终实现了高n/n和n/分辨测量和强裂变中子、射线混合场中的高能脉冲裂变中子数目探测,探测系统的信号/辐射本底比可达到10倍以上。     

LS301快中子探测器的效率刻度

主要介绍了利用252Cf标准裂变中子能谱刻度快脉冲LS301型液闪中子探测器的探测效率的实验方法和结果, 简要介绍了实验数据的处理过程, 得到了阈值分别为0.5, 0.7, 1.0和1.6 MeV, 以及中子能量在10 MeV以下的探测器效率, 并对测量结果进行了误差分析。同时为了检验实验结果的准确性, 将实验结果与理论计算结果进行比较, 两者在不确定度范围内符合得很好。Neutron detection efficiency of LS301 fast neutron detector was calibrated by measuring the neutron energy spectrum of 252Cf source, which has a standard fission neutron spectrum. A low mass, fast ionization chamber is used as the fission fragments detector in the time of flight(TOF) spectrometer and afforded the start signal of neutron flight. The stop signal was offered by the anode of LS301. A measured TOF spectrum was turned to the neutron energy spectrum which will be compared with the standard one. Consequently, the fast neutron detection efficiency of LS301 was obtained. Calibration procedures of experimental and data processing was given. Relative detection efficiencies were obtained separately for threshold settings of 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 and 1.6 MeV for neutron energies under 10 MeV. Experimental results accorded with theoretical efficiency curves which were calculated with the Monte Carlo code NEFF50.     

Method for measuring prompt γ-rays generated by D-T neutrons bombarding a depleted uranium spherical shell

The prompt γ-ray spectrum from depleted uranium(DU) spherical shells induced by 14 Me V D-T neutrons is measured. Monte Carlo(MC) simulation gives the largest prompt γ flux with the optimal thickness of the DU spherical shells 3–5 cm and the optimal frequency of neutron pulse 1 MHz. The method of time of flight and pulse shape coincidence with energy(DC-TOF) is proposed, and the subtraction of the background γ-rays discussed in detail. The electron recoil spectrum and time spectrum of the prompt γ-rays are obtained based on a 2 ×2 BC501 A liquid scintillator detector. The energy spectrum and time spectrum of prompt γ-rays are obtained based on an iterative unfolding method that can remove the influence of γ-rays response matrix and pulsed neutron shape.The measured time spectrum and the calculated results are roughly consistent with each other. Experimental promptγ-ray spectrum in the 0.4–3 Me V energy region agrees well with MC simulation based on the ENDF/BVI.5 library,and the discrepancies for the integral quantities of γ-rays of energy 0.4–1 Me V and 1–3 Me V are 9.2% and 1.1%,respectively.     

Measurement of 248Cm/252Cf Cf Spontaneous Prompt Fission Neutron Spectrum

In order to treat the waste material of nuclear power and develop new type of clean nuclear power,it is necessary to measure the neutron adta of long half life nuclei existed in the waste material.The prompt spontaneous neutron spectrum is one of the most important unclear data for new type nuclear power facilities as well as for understanding the mechanism of fission neutron emission.The measurements of ²⁴⁸Cm/²⁵²Cf spontaneous prompt fission neutron spectrum in the neutron energy range form 200keV to 12MeV wer performed by using TOF method.A micro-ionization chamber aws used as fission fragment detector and stibene crystal as neutron detector.The flying paths of neutrons for the measurements were 30cm,50cm and 100cm respectively.The spontaneous prompt fission neutron spectrum of ²⁴⁸Cm was fitted by the Maxwellian distribution and the temperature was determined as (1.401±0.006)MeV in the corresponding neutron energy range.     

Digital signal processing application to <Superscript>252</Superscript>Cf(sf) reaction products spectroscopy

The emission of prompt fission neutrons in spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf was studied by the application of digital data processing for the first time. The study was aimed at comparing the obtained results with those from the pioneering work of Budtz-Jorgensen and Knitter. By using a twin Frisch grid ionization chamber for fission fragment detection and a neutron scintillator (NE213) for the detection of neutrons, a total of about 10⁷ neutron coincidences were registered. The fission-fragment kinetic energies were measured using a fast (80 MHz) waveform digitizer that provided 10-bit amplitude resolution. Standard analog NIM modules were used for neutron time-of-flight and pulse shape measurements. A time-to-digital converter (TDC) with 1-ns resolution and a pair of gated charge-to-digital converters with 12-bit amplitude resolution were also used. The fission fragment signals were analyzed by means of digital signal processing algorithms. Data on prompt fission neutron energies were obtained by using a time-of-flight (TOF) spectrum unfolding procedure applicable to list-mode data.     

Measurement of the response function and the detection efficiency of an organic liquid scintillator for neutrons between 1 and 30 MeV

The light output function of a φ50.8 mm×50.8 mm BC501A scintillation detector was measured in the neutron energy region of 1 to 30 MeV by fitting the pulse height (PH) spectra for neutrons with the simulations from the NRESP code at the edge range. Using the new light output function, the neutron detection efficiency was determined with two Monte-Carlo codes, NEFF and SCINFUL. The calculated efficiency was corrected by comparing the simulated PH spectra with the measured ones. The determined efficiency was verified at the near threshold region and normalized with a Proton-Recoil-Telescope (PRT) at the 8-14 MeV energy region.     

Gamma rays from thermal neutron capture in gold

The thermal column of the 10 kW University of Maryland pool reactor was used as the neutron source for this nuclear spectroscopy study. A 40 cm³ lithium drifted germanium crystal was the gamma (γ) ray detector used to measure the high energy prompt photon emissions from thermal neutron capture. The energy region was from 2.6–7.0 MeV. New capture gamma ray lines were observed.     

The behavior of HfB2 at neutron irradiation: a simulation study

The behavior of Hafnium di-boride (HfB₂) under neutron irradiation has been simulated in a wide range of energy from 0.025?eV up to 14?MeV. The simulation and the analysis have been carried out using Geant4 and its related database. From the radiation shielding perspective, it was observed that, under thermal neutron irradiation, HfB₂ scatters neutrons with a marginally higher energy than the incident neutrons and also produces prompt gamma rays up to 11?MeV. These results would indicate that, for high-energy neutron 14?MeV, not only is HfB₂ unacceptable as a reasonable neutron absorber but also produces 20?MeV prompt gamma rays.     

Prompt gamma ray multiplicity distributions in spontaneous fission of252Cf

The shape parameters of the multiplicity distribution of prompt gamma rays emitted in spontaneous fission of²⁵²Cf were obtained using the multiple coincidence technique. The multiplicity distribution is well represented by a Gaussian distribution. Assuming the average number of prompt gamma rays emitted per fission to be 10.3, the standard deviation of the multiplicity distribution was estimated to be 4.2±0.4. The variation of the standard deviation of the multiplicity distribution has also been obtained as a function of kinetic energy of one of the fragments and was found to exhibit a strong zigzag dependence on the single fragment kinetic energy. The results have been discussed on the basis of the emission mechanism of prompt gamma rays in fission.     

血液中Na活化放射性测量的蒙特卡罗模拟

针对超临界事故中人体受到中子辐照后感生的24Na活度测量,采用MCNP软件建立蒙特卡罗模拟模型,分别模拟不同类型NaI探测器对24Na衰变的两条射线全能峰的探测效率和塑料闪烁体探测器对24Na衰变的射线总计数的探测器效率。模拟结果表明:井型NaI探测器与圆柱型相比,24Na衰变的1.38 MeV和2.76 MeV 射线全能峰探测效率分别提高了4.30倍和4.11倍;塑料闪烁体探测器对24Na衰变的射线的探测效率是NaI探测器对24Na 射线的探测效率的1.72倍;同时粗略计算了探测器计数与人体所受中子辐照剂量之间的关系。