High-quality single crystals for neutron experiments

To make headway on any problem in physics, high-quality single crystals are required. In this talk, special emphasis will be placed on the crystal growth of various oxides (superconductors and magnetic materials), borides and carbides using the image furnaces at Warwick. The floating zone method of crystal growth used in these furnaces produces crystals of superior quality, circumventing many of the problems associated with, for example, flux growth from the melt. This method enables the growth of large volumes of crystal, a prerequisite especially for experiments using neutron beams. Some examples of experimental results from crystals grown at Warwick, selected from numerous in-house studies and our collaborative research projects with other UK and international groups will be discussed.      

Halogen impurities in CdS and ZnSe single crystals by thermal neutron activation

Halogen donors (chlorine, bromine and iodine) in cadmium sulfide and zinc selenide single crystals (vapor grown platelets with and without halogen dopants) were determined by thermal neutron activation analysis. This approach proved to be simple, rapid and highly selective. The analyzed impurity contents range from 100 ppb to several ppm. Radionuclides used for identification of chlorine, bromide and iodine were ³⁸Cl (t_1/2 ≈ 25 min), ⁸²Br (t_1/2 ≈35·1 hr) and ¹²⁸I (t_1/2 ≈ 25 min), respectively; these nuclides were radiochemically isolated and measured by gamma scintillation spectrometry. The levels of the impurities measured by this method were then used to identify new types of donor-acceptor pair line spectra and two-electron transitions accociated with chlorine, bromine or iodine impurities. The results were all in good agreement with the suspected lines, and accordingly well characterized.     

Low energy gamma rays from thermal neutron capture

The beam tubeP2 of the 4 MW FRM pool reactor was used as the neutron source for this nuclear spectroscopy study. An 8.5 and 13.5 cm lithium drifted germanium detector were used as gamma ray detector to measure the low energy prompt photon emissions from thermal neutron capture in 18 elements (12 rare earth elements) having aσ/A value greater than 0.1. The energy region was from 50–500 keV. Energy and intensity of the gamma ray lines are given.     

一种252Cf裂变中子源的中子、γ射线飞行时间谱测量新方法

 针对²⁵²Cf快中子、γ射线的飞行时间谱测量要求,提出并建立一种基于高速数据采集卡的新型测量系统。采用1 GHz高速A/D转换单元和现场可编程门阵列高速处理单元,进行脉冲时间序列的在线检测,时间精度为1 ns。使用相关函数法,通过PC机的数据处理、互相关函数计算和数值统计等实现中子、γ射线飞行时间谱的测量。实验结果表明,该系统可以获得²⁵²Cf自发裂变中子源的中子、γ射线飞行时间谱,与经典的飞行时间谱测量方法相比较,其图谱表达及数值结果有着很高的吻合度。     

Synergistic effects of neutron and gamma ray irradiation of commercial CHMOS microcontroller

This paper presents the experimental results of a combined irradiation environment of neutron and gamma rays on 80C196KC20, which is a 16-bit high performance member of the MCS96 microcontroller family. The electrical and functional tests were made in three irradiation environments: neutron, gamma rays, combined irradiation of neutron and gamma rays. The experimental results show that the neutron irradiation can affect the total ionizing dose behaviour. Compared with the single radiation environment, the microcontroller exhibits considerably more severe degradation in neutron and gamma ray synergistic irradiation. This phenomenon may cause a significant hardness assurance problem.     

Synergistic effects of neutron and gamma ray irradiation of a commercial CHMOS microcontroller

This paper presents the experimental results of a combined irradiation environment of neutron and gamma rays on 80C196KC20,which is a 16-bit high performance member of the MCS96 microcontroller family.The electrical and functional tests were made in three irradiation environments:neutron,gamma rays,combined irradiation of neutron and gamma rays.The experimental results show that the neutron irradiation can affect the total ionizing dose behaviour.Compared with the single radiation environment,the microcontroller exhibits considerably more severe degradation in neutron and gamma ray synergistic irradiation.This phenomenon may cause a significant hardness assurance problem.     

强γ背景下中子针孔成像的点扩展函数

 利用基于Geant4建立起来的针孔成像模型获得了不同偏移量下γ与中子的好事例、能量沉积的比值,并模拟分析了强γ背景对中子针孔成像点扩展函数的影响。研究结果表明:在偏移量小于1 cm时,γ与中子的好事例之比、γ与中子的能量沉积峰值之比以及γ与中子的能量沉积总和之比分别在0.40～0.42,0.63～0.65以及0.46～0.49之间;偏移量大于1 cm时,比值下降明显,γ对中子的影响减小。在同一偏移量下,γ射线的点扩展函数的分布范围要比中子的小,两者叠加后所获得的点扩展函数的分布范围介于两者之间。在一定入射偏移范围内的成像质量优于在针孔中心位置入射时的成像质量。     

强γ背景下中子针孔成像的点扩展函数

利用基于Geant4建立起来的针孔成像模型获得了不同偏移量下γ与中子的好事例、能量沉积的比值,并模拟分析了强γ背景对中子针孔成像点扩展函数的影响。研究结果表明:在偏移量小于1 cm时,γ与中子的好事例之比、γ与中子的能量沉积峰值之比以及γ与中子的能量沉积总和之比分别在0.40～0.42,0.63～0.65以及0.46～0.49之间;偏移量大于1 cm时,比值下降明显,γ对中子的影响减小。在同一偏移量下,γ射线的点扩展函数的分布范围要比中子的小,两者叠加后所获得的点扩展函数的分布范围介于两者之间。在一定入射偏移范围内的成像质量优于在针孔中心位置入射时的成像质量。     

Defect-induced magnetism in neutron irradiated 6H-SiC single crystals

Defect-induced magnetism is firstly observed in neutron irradiated SiC single crystals. We demonstrated that the intentionally created defects dominated by divacancies (V(Si)V(C)) are responsible for the observed magnetism. First-principles calculations revealed that defect states favor the formation of local moments and the extended tails of defect wave functions make long-range spin couplings possible. Our results confirm the existence of defect-induced magnetism, implying the possibility of tuning the magnetism of wide band-gap semiconductors by defect engineering.     

Growth and radioluminescence of metal elements doped LiCaAlF6 single crystals for neutron scintillator

The ns²-type metal elements (Pb and Sn) doped LiCaAlF₆ single crystals were grown by a micro-pulling-down (μ-PD) method. Pb doped LiCaAlF₆ [Pb:LiCAF] crystals showed high transparency and single phase of the LiCAF structure. However, we could not obtain Sn:LiCAF crystals due to the evaporation of SnF₂ during the crystal growth. There was an absorption peak around 193 nm in the transmittance spectrum of Pb:LiCAF crystal. In the radioluminescence spectrum of the Pb:LiCAF crystal under X-ray irradiation, two emission peaks around 200 and 830 nm were observed.     

Shallow thermal donors in nitrogen-doped silicon single crystals

Czochralski-grown nitrogen-doped silicon crystals contain shallow thermal donors (STD) which are not present in reference crystals. In the course of annealing at 600 or 650°C, the STD concentration reaches saturation and this concentration scales with nitrogen content N as N^1/2. This implies that an STD includes only one nitrogen atom and that the most likely model of the STD defect is the NO_m complex of an interstitial nitrogen atom with m oxygen atoms. The number m is estimated as, on the average, m=3 from data on the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant for the complex formation reaction     

Analysis of neutron and gamma ray doses accumulated during commercial Trans-Pacific flights between Australia and USA

During recent commercial Trans-Pacific passenger flights between Sydney and several major cities in the USA, the neutron and gamma dose equivalents in the aircraft cabin were evaluated with superheated Bubble dosimeters, thermoluminescence dosimeter chips (TLD-600 and TLD-700) and a miniature electronic dosimeter. After a total 73-hour flight time the accumulated neutron and gamma dose equivalents were evaluated to be 39.7 μSv and 74.0 μSv respectively. The thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves of the dosimeter chips were assayed at a ramp heating rate of 10°C s⁻¹ up to 400°C. By using the Bubble and electronic dosimeter data it was possible to isolate explicitly the neutron and gamma dose components from the deconvoluted TL-glow curve of the TLD-600 chips. The application of Bubble dosimeter and TLD for an accurate estimation of the radiation exposure to air crews and frequent flying passengers is suggested.     

Searching for high-energy gamma emissions from cosmic gamma ray bursts

We present the results from our search for gamma ray bursts of high energy with the Andyrchy air shower array of the Baksan Neutrino Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute for Nuclear Research using experimental data for the period 1996–2006 (live time, 2290 days). These data were recorded by the array in the mode of detecting single-particle components of cosmic rays.     

ESR of gamma irradiated single crystals of cholesteryl acetate and cholesteryl chloroformate

Cholesteryl acetate and cholesteryl chloroformate compounds have been irradiated with ⁶⁰Co-γ rays at room temperatures. The irradiated samples have been examined for paramagnetic resonance, and the observed spectra in several cases have been identified with specific radicals. The results in each case have been considered in relation to the present knowledge of the radiation chemistry of the compound. The single crystals have been investigated between 120 and 300?K. The spectra are found to be temperature independent and radiation damage centers are attributed to ?HCH₂ radical for cholesteryl acetate and ?H₃ and ?HCH₂ CH₂ CH₂ radicals for cholesteryl chloroformate.     

Threshold conditions for pulsed gamma ray lasers

We examine the threshold conditions for both lasing and superradiance in a pulsed γ-ray laser. We find that both threshold conditions are much more restrictive than the Schalow-Townes condition for lasing in a steady-state laser.     

Twinning in bismuth single crystals induced by thermal cycling

The role of twinning in bismuth single crystal plastic deformation under thermal cycling (cooling to 77 K and heating to 373 K) is studied. It is found that, under these conditions, the twinning of the crystals proceeds in several stages.     

单探头中子/伽马甄别能谱仪系统研制

针对放射性物质异常泄漏、防范核材料的非法转移和任意携带,提出一种基于单探头中子/伽马甄别能谱仪系统,实现敏感控制区中特殊核材料和放射性物质的监测。围绕核信号获取与数字化采集、辐射射线粒子甄别与能谱分析,开展基于FPGA与EJ299-33A的核数据采集电路设计、核信号处理算法设计和Matlab中子/伽马鉴别与能谱离线分析方法等关键技术研究。设计上位机软件实时处理辐射能谱数据,为正确做出应急预案提供数据参考。利用新型探测器和分型频谱数学模型在FPGA内部实现射线种类甄别,有效地解决了采用传统老式探测器和模拟电路的方法鉴别困难的问题,验证了分型频谱法在核信号处理上具有一定的可行性。开发完成集放射性种类判定、核素识别于一体的多功能集成中子/伽马探测器,在中子/伽马的混合辐射场中,既能实现射线甄别又能测量能谱,解决在复杂放射性环境中对不同射线种类的能谱分析和核素识别问题。