第一讲中子散射与散裂中子源

中子散射是研究物质微观结构和动态的理想工具之一,广泛地应用于凝聚态物质研究和应用的众多学科领域.散裂中子源能是新一代的加速器基脉冲中子源,能为中子散射提供高通量的脉冲中子.文章简明地介绍了中子散射的特点和它作为物质结构和动态探针的优越性,以及散裂中子源的基本原理、发展状况和多学科的应用优势.我国计划建设的散裂中子源CSNS中,靶站将由多片钨靶、铍/铁反射体和铁/重混凝土生物屏蔽体组成.质子束功率100kW下,脉冲中子通量约为2.4×1016n/cm2/s.第一期将设计建造高通量粉末衍射仪、高分辨粉末衍射仪、小角散射仪、多功能反射仪和直接几何非弹性散射仪等五台典型的中子散射谱仪,以覆盖大部分的中子散射研究领域.     

散裂中子源靶站谱仪的物理设计

中子散射广泛地应用于凝聚态物质研究和应用的众多学科领域,是研究物质微观结构和动态的理想工具之一.散裂中子源能是新一代的加速器基脉冲中子源,能为中子散射提供高通量的脉冲中子.文章重点介绍了散裂中子源项目CSNS中靶站和谱仪的建设内容和设计工作的进展.     

散裂中子源与中子散射

文章介绍了散裂中子源的物理基础、中子散射用散裂中子源对加速器的要求和靶系统的特点，阐述了利用散裂源，尤其是脉冲散裂源进行了散射实验的主要优点，并对我国建造散裂中子源的发展战略提出了建议。     

中子管非中子产物性质

采用两只经过标定的ST401闪烁探测器,测量了脉冲中子管的中子产额,在其中一只探测器前端增加铅板屏蔽,1 cm的铅屏蔽使探测器输出减少了18.20%,在加速器中子源上进行的类似实验表明,0.5 cm的铅使探测器的输出减少了2.90%。对两个中子源上测量的情况进行了蒙特卡罗模拟,加速器实验与模拟符合较好,脉冲中子管实验差别较大。对实验和模拟的情况进行了分析,结果表明:中子管除产生中子外,还会产生数量较多的轫致辐射X射线,这些X射线对准确测量中子管中子产额将造成不良影响。     

天空反照

早在四十年代建造初期的加速器时,就在四周建筑了相当厚的屏蔽墙,但是屏蔽墙外仍发现有出乎意料的辐射场,其强度之大远远超过预计水平。到1950年才认识到这个辐射场是由于加速器没有顶部屏蔽或者太薄,中子和γ辐射到天空后,由空气散射反照下来产生的。这种现象也因此得名——天空反照,其影响范围可达距放射源千米以外。     

中国散裂中子源多功能反射谱仪屏蔽设计

本文介绍了利用蒙特卡罗粒子输运程序MCNPX2.5.0进行中国散裂中子源多功能反射谱仪屏蔽设计的屏蔽需求、辐射源项、计算方法和设计结果等内容.在计算中考虑慢化器泄漏源项、中子导管损失源项等不同辐射源项,使用分步计算和源项角度偏移、源项能量偏移、几何分裂等多种减方差方法,在保证计算结果精度的同时提高计算速度.在谱仪束线传输段、第二中子开关、散射室等的屏蔽计算中,通过比较了不同条件下的所需屏蔽确定最终屏蔽设计,确保谱仪屏蔽外人员可到达区域的剂量低于安全限值2.5μSv/h.     

TMSR白光中子源本底屏蔽设计

为了满足钍基熔盐堆对核数据的需求,中国科学院上海应用物理研究所自行设计并建造了紧凑型的15 MeV电子加速器驱动的白光中子源。电子直线加速器、中子产生靶以及探测器系统处于同一个实验大厅,中子/伽马射线本底较高,原有屏蔽并不能满足在低能区进行热中子物理实验测量的低中子本底需求。为了降低热中子本底,提高在热区的测量能力,需要对中子源进行局部屏蔽。根据调试运行经验以及模拟计算结果,分析了中子伽马射线本底的来源,利用MCNP5模拟计算了混凝土、铅、含硼聚乙烯对中子/伽马射线的屏蔽效果,优化设计了局部屏蔽方案。模拟计算结果显示,该屏蔽方案可将热中子本底降低三个量级,伽马本底降低两个量级。屏蔽后的实验测量结果表明,探测器处的有效热中子与本底热中子的比值达到约100:1,屏蔽效果显著,为后续在热中子能区顺利开展中子物理测量实验奠定了基础。     

2.45 MeV小型D-D中子管准直屏蔽结构设计

为获取小角度出射的单能中子源,采用蒙特卡罗软件对小型D-D中子管产生的能量为2.45 MeV的4立体角中子源进行了准直屏蔽结构设计。准直屏蔽结构分为准直器和捕获穴,准直器采用铁+含硼聚乙烯+铅的三层过滤结构,用于屏蔽照射野外杂散中子,捕获穴主要功能是增加反方向中子的弹性散射次数,从而降低出射束低能散射中子的比例。通过MCNP模拟得到了准直器各层材料的最佳厚度和出射孔尺寸以及捕获穴最佳结构。经验证,中子照射野处2.45 MeV的中子通量比照射野外大三个量级,中子照射野处低能中子通量比2.45 MeV的中子通量低一个量级,墙壁外总剂量率（中子+）在2.5 Gy/h以下。该研究对于小角度单能中子源的快速获取具有一定的实用价值,获取的中子源可用于中子剂量仪器有效性检验、中子监测仪性能测试等方面的研究。     

与核能有关的中子数据和核反应研究

介绍开展了中子核反应研究和数据测量的重要性，并扼要介绍了在北京大学重离子物理研究所４．５ＭＶ静电加速器单色中子源开展的中子实验工作。     

“强光”1号Z-Pinch实验一维空间分布X-Ray辐射特性

测量零功率堆中子衰变常数α（负λ参数）通常用罗西一磁或随机脉冲源法等。但这些测量方法费时较长，为适应实验需要进行了瞬态测量方法研究。瞬态法负λ测量的特点：需要一个高强度、窄脉冲外中子源（比如说DPF中子源）；测点处有很强的直照中子和散射本底，比被测信号高3个多量级；进行负λ测量时必须对探测器进行屏蔽，为减少屏蔽体体积开展了门控PMT负λ测量技术研究。     

Fast Neutron Albedo Calculations for a Concrete Shield with Different Curvatures

The O5R Monte Carlo neutron transport Code had been used to calculate the neutron albedo for neutrons reflected from plane and curved concrete shields. The present calculations were performed to investigate the fast-neutron albedo in case of ordinary concrete shield, in order to perform comparative studies with the case of neutron reflection against a flat wall. The calculations were performed for three different neutron source energies of 1 MeV, 5 MeV and 15 MeV and at neutron incident angles of 5°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° and for surfaces with different curvatures (flat, 100, 50, 20 and 5 cm). The results obtained reveal that there will be an appreciable error on using the flat wall albedo value in the case of duct penetration calculations. The error was assumed to be due to the neglection of the curvature effect as well as to the improper choice of the neutron incident angle.     

The measurement using passive dosemeters of the neutron component of aircraft crew dose

The cosmic radiation field at aviation altitudes can be measured with simple passive detectors. The non-neutron component may be measured by means of thermoluminescence dosimetry or other techniques, and the neutron component may be measured using poly allyl diglycol carbonate (PADC) dosemeters as described in this paper. Effective dose from neutron radiation becomes the larger component for altitudes above about 10 km, in general. The dominance is more pronounced for higher latitudes. The neutron energies range up to the maximum of the incident protons, that is many GeV. However the majority of the dose is contributed by neutrons of a few hundred MeV and less, with two maxima in the fluence spectrum, one between 1 and 10 MeV and the other between 50 and 150 MeV. We have used PADC dosemeters, electrochemically etched, to estimate the neutron component of effective dose. Up to 50 dosemeters are used in a single measurement to obtain an estimate of sufficient precision for total neutron effective doses of 50 microSv and less. The neutron fluence response characteristics of the dosemeter have been measured up to 70 MeV. These are extrapolated up to 180 MeV. This extrapolation is validated, partially, by a comparison of measured and predicted readings in the CERN reference field. From the dosemeter readings for exposure on board aircraft, neutron fluence may be estimated assuming an isotropic radiation field and the estimated neutron fluence spectrum. The neutron fluence may then be converted to effective dose using published values of conversion coefficients with the same assumptions of isotropy and known fluence spectrum. For the measurement results reported here, the calculated spectrum for the CERN concrete shielded field is used.     

Measurement and theoretical estimation of induced activity in <Superscript>nat</Superscript>In by high energy neutrons

Induced radioactivity in natural indium (^natIn) foils by high energy neutrons was measured at the KENS Facility, KEK, Japan, where a 16.7 cm thick W target was bombarded by protons of 500 MeV. High energy neutrons consequently produced irradiated the In targets placed at different depths inside a 4 m thick concrete shield placed at the beam exit. The measured activities were compared with the results calculated using the nuclear reaction model codes ALICE-91 and EMPIRE-2.18. To estimate the induced activity, excitation functions of the various radionuclides were calculated using the two codes and folded with the appropriate neutron energy distribution at different depths of the concrete shield. The calculated excitation functions of a given nuclide were found to vary widely from one another in some cases. The performances of the codes for different input parameters like level densities and inverse cross-sections are reported in this paper. Our analysis shows that neither of the two codes reproduced all the measured activities satisfactorily, requiring further improvements in the models adopted.     

利用GEANT4和TALYS研究中子与铁作用的次级中子双微分截面

铁的次级中子双微分截面对核装置的设计、运行与维护具有重要作用。相关实验数据缺乏,且评价数据不完善,需要使用可靠的核理论模型进行计算。本工作利用GEANT4程序结合不同的中子评价数据计算了8.17, 11.5, 14.1和18 MeV等入射能量下中子轰击薄铁靶不同出射角度的次级中子双微分截面;同时利用TALYS程序和GEANT4程序结合BIC、BERT和INCLXX模型计算了25.7, 65, 100和150 MeV等入射能量下中子轰击薄铁靶不同出射角度的次级中子双微分截面,并与实验数据进行对比。研究表明,在20 MeV以下能区,ENDF/B-VIII.0库的计算结果与实验数据符合较好,BROND-3.1、CENDL-3.1、JENDL-4.0u和JEFF-3.3库的计算结果与实验数据存在差异。在20~150 MeV能区,GEANT4程序的BERT模型和TALYS程序的计算结果与实验数据符合较好,INCLXX模型和BIC模型的计算结果与实验数据存在分歧。整体来看,需要对铁的中子评价数据和核反应理论模型做进一步研究。     

Neutron,photon and proton energy spectra at high altitude measured using a phoswich-type neutron detector

Neutron energy spectrum from 7 to 180 MeV, photon energy spectrum from 4 to 50 MeV and proton energy spectrum from 94 to 145 MeV were measured simultaneously using a phoswich-type neutron detector with particle discrimination methods at atmospheric depth of 249 g/cm², a vertical cut-off rigidity of 10.2 GV and at a heliocentric potential of 312 MV. We compared our results with other measured and calculated particle energy spectra. Our measured results give a large, sharp neutron peak around 70 MeV, although Bonner balls show a broad peak around 100 MeV due to low energy resolution. The measured photon and proton spectra are between the calculated energy spectra. This onboard study provides the first experimental neutron energy spectrum over 10 MeV with a high-energy resolution.     

Measurement of the fast neutron scattering and total cross sections of141Pr

The differential elastic neutron scattering cross sections of¹⁴¹Pr were measured at the incident neutron energies of 1.2, 1.7 and 1.9 MeV in the angular range between 25 and 150 degrees. At 1.7 MeV the differential inelastic neutron scattering cross sections corresponding toQ=?1122 keV, and at 1.9 MeV the ones corresponding toQ=?1122, andQ=?1295 keV were also determined. In a transmission experiment, the total cross section was measured between 0.50 and 2.42 MeV. The total and differential cross sections were calculated using the nuclear optical model. The calculated results were compared with the experimental data.     

Neutron production at the heavy ion research facility in Lanzhou

In this work,the neutron radiation field at Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL) was investigated.Total neutron yields,spectra and angular distributions in the bombardment of various thick targets by 12C and 18O ions with energies up to 75 MeV/u were obtained using the activation method.The neutron dose equivalent rates of 60 MeV/u 18O on various thick targets at different angles were measured with a modified A-B remmeter.Our results are compared with those of other reports.     

CYSP: A new cylindrical directional neutron spectrometer. Conceptual design

This communication describes in detail the design of a new cylindrical neutron spectrometer (CYSP) embedding 7 active thermal neutron detectors in a moderating structure made of polyethylene, borated plastic and lead. The device provides a strong directional response within the energy interval from thermal to hundreds of MeV, being nearly insensitive to neutrons coming from directions other than the cylinder axis with energies up to about 10 MeV. Therefore it will be especially suitable for applications where the neutron spectrum as a function of the emission angle needs to be measured. The Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX has been used to reach the final configuration for the spectrometer in terms of size, collimator, and arrangement of borated plastic and lead layers, number and position of the detectors. Moreover, MCNPX has been also used to calculate the response matrix of the instrument.     

Cosmic-ray neutron spectrometry by solid state detectors

Extensive data have been gathered since the early 1990s on the response of different detectors based on the registration of neutron-induced fission in bismuth, gold, tantalum by the spark replica counter and the thin film breakdown counter. These detectors make it possible to exploit the excellent characteristics of the fission reactions in bismuth, gold and tantalum for the measurements of high-energy neutrons.

Most of the investigations have been carried out at the quasi-monoenergetic neutron beam facility at The Svedberg Laboratory-TSL of the Uppsala University in cooperation with the Khlopin Radium Institute (KRI).

The responses of different fission detectors in the intermediate range of neutron energy (35–180 MeV) have been evaluated: a region where the predictive power of available nuclear reaction models and codes is not reliable yet. For neutron energy greater than 200 MeV, the fission-detector responses have been derived from the data of the proton fission cross-sections.

Finally, by using the ratio of the responses of these detectors, a simple and accurate way to evaluate the spectrum hardness can be obtained, thus providing a tool to obtain spectral information needed for neutron dosimetry without the need to know the entire spectrum.

The experimentally measured spectra obtained to-date have different shapes and they are also different from those calculated.

In this paper, a new approach will be reported to analyse the existing spectra by using response ratios of different detectors. Preliminary data have been already obtained for the high-energy neutron spectrum from the CERN concrete facility.     

Elastic and inelastic scattering of nucleons from 16O

Measurements of differential elastic and inelastic cross sections for neutron scattering from ¹⁶O at incident energies 18 to 26 MeV are presented. In addition to cross sections for neutron scattering differential cross sections for proton scattering up to 66 MeV are described in terms of phenomenological optical model potentials. At 24.5 MeV incident energy inelastic scattering up to 11.5 MeV excitation was measured. The elastic and inelastic compound nucleus contributions were examined. Direct inelastic scattering from the normal parity states was calculated using the DWBA and coupled-channel formalisms. The inelastic scattering cross section from non-normal parity state 2⁻ was calculated using the coupled-channel formalism via multi-step processes. Cross sections due to inelastic scattering from some of the states, which are thought to be members of an excited state rotational band were calculated using both vibrational and rotational approaches and were compared.