Radiator effect on plastic nuclear track detectors for high-energy neutrons

The effect of radiators supplying charged particles to plastic nuclear track detectors has been investigated both experimentally and theoretically in order to apply them to personal dosimeters for high-energy neutrons. Performance of four types of radiator materials, CH₂, CD₂ (deuterized hydrocarbon), LiF (lithium fluoride) and C (graphite), was checked in a quasi-monoenergetic neutron field generated by p-Li reactions. The efficiency has been numerically calculated based on a model with a special attention to the angular dependence of cross sections and data of characteristic response to light ions. The effect of respective radiator candidates has been evaluated as a function of the neutron energy. A two-layer radiator has also been proposed to adjust the energy dependence of the relative sensitivity to conversion factor for dose-equivalent.     

Improvement of neutron detection efficiency with high sensitive CR-39 track detector

Two subjects have been studied for establishing an efficient detection technique applicable to neutrons with an energy higher than 20 MeV, for which personnel dosimetry becomes more important especially in space activities and radiation protection around high-energy accelerators.

A performance of a new sensitive detector, recently developed copolymer of CR-39 and N-isopropylacrylamide, was checked in a D–T neutron field. It was confirmed experimentally that its sensitivity was several times as high as a pure CR-39 in the radiator effect and more than twice in the total efficiency. In the other experiment, CR-39 samples were exposed to 65 MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutrons, and the registration characteristics have been investigated from a fundamental point of view. The particles recorded were divided into three groups of proton relatives, -particles and heavy ions by applying the growth curve method and the multi-step etching technique. The measured fractions were in good agreement with the values calculated by SSNERS code previously developed.     

A joint UAB-IReS-IPNO neutron comparison exercise with nuclear track detectors

The response of PN3 and CR-39 personal dosemeters with different configurations, developed by the IReS (Strasbourg), the IPNO (Orsay) and the UAB (Barcelona) groups, is investigated in this study. Both dosemeters were mounted on a water-filled phantom and were simultaneously exposed under different incidence angles (0, 30 and 60) to the following: (i) three ISO neutron sources (²⁴¹Am-Be, bare ²⁵²Cf and moderated ²⁵²Cf with Cd shielding), and (ii) two realistic neutron sources (SIGMA and moderated ²⁵²Cf) at the IRSN (Cadarache) facilities. After irradiation, the plastic detectors were etched and evaluated according to local routine procedures and corrections for the effect of source-to-detector distance were taken into account. A comparison of the average background, the minimum detectable dose equivalent and the field calibration factor is performed as well.     

Characteristics of a neutron moisture gauge with a solid state detector

The development of a neutron moisture gauge, using Cf²⁵² as a source of fast neutrons and muscovite as a detector of thermal-neutron-induced-fission in Pu²³⁹ target, is reported. The laboratory and the field calibrations of the instrument reveal a linear relation between track count rate and the moisture volume fraction. Low cost, low weight, simplicity of operation, thermal stability and elimination of electronic gadgets and power supplies are the attractive features of this instrument. The main drawback is its poor detection efficiency for thermal neutrons and the consequent unsuitability as a routine logging instrument. Its special features make it particularly suited to deep bore hole logging such as in oil exploration.     

In-phantom neutron dose distribution for bladder cancer cases treated with high-energy photons

This work presents an estimation of the neutron dose distribution for common bladder cancer cases treated with high-energy photons of 15 MV therapy accelerators. Neutron doses were measured in an Alderson phantom, using TLD 700 and 600 thermoluminescence dosimeters, resembling bladder cancer cases treated with high-energy photons from 15 MV LINAC and having a treatment plan using the four-field pelvic box technique. Thermal neutron dose distribution in the target area and the surrounding tissue was estimated. The sensitivity of all detectors for both gamma and neutrons was estimated and used for correction of the TL reading. TLD detectors were irradiated with a Co⁶⁰ gamma standard source and thermal neutrons at the irradiation facility of the National Institute for Standards (NIS). The TL to dose conversion factor was estimated in terms of both Co⁶⁰ neutron equivalent dose and thermal neutron dose. The dose distribution of photo-neutrons throughout each target was estimated and presented in three-dimensional charts and isodose curves. The distribution was found to be non-isotropic through the target. It varied from a minimum of 0.23 mSv/h to a maximum of 2.07 mSv/h at 6 cm off-axis. The mean neutron dose equivalent was found to be 0.63 mSv/h, which agrees with other published literature. The estimated average neutron equivalent to the bladder per administered therapeutic dose was found to be 0.39 mSv Gy^?1, which is also in good agreement with published literature. As a consequence of a complete therapeutic treatment of 50 Gy high-energy photons at 15 MV, the total thermal neutron equivalent dose to the abdomen was found to be about 0.012 Sv.     

Performance of CR-39 with addition of DOP (dioctylphthalate) for fast neutron dosimetry

The ENEA fast neutron dosemeter is based on a planar poly allyl diglicol carbonate (PADC) placed in a polyethylene holder. The present paper reports the results of an experimental study of a CR-39^® material with the addition of 0.1% of dioctylphthalate (DOP) produced by the Italian company Intercast Europe S.p.A.

The etching procedure is: pre-etching with 40% KOH water solution 6.25 N and 60% ethyl alcohol at 70°C followed by 12 h of etching in 6.25 N KOH water solution. For the energy dependence of response, dosemeters have been irradiated with neutron sources (²⁴¹Am–Be, ²⁵²Cf, Pu–Li) and 14.9 MeV monoenergetic neutrons. The dosimetric performance of the material for fast neutrons is expressed in terms of sensitivity, background value, lowest detectable dose and energy dependence of response. Moreover, the results of a quality acceptance test of the material, performed on 11 sheets (980×980 mm², 1.4 mm thick) of the same production batch, are given. Therefore, the homogeneity of the neutron sensitivity and of the background signal within a sheet and the whole batch is considered. The results are compared with the acceptance test outcome for a CR39 standard material batch.     

Calibration with relativistic and low velocity ions of a CR39 nuclear track detector

We present experimental results on the calibration of the CR9 nuclear track detector, manufactured by the Intercast Europe Co., of Parma (Italy). The calibration was performed with several ions of different kinetic energies: from 50 keV protons to 11.3 A GeV gold ions; β=v/c ranges from about 4·10⁻³ to about 1. We find that a single curve of the reduced etch rate p versus Restricted Energy Loss is able to describe all data. Furthermore the data are consistent with about 100% contribution of the nuclear energy loss to the CR39 response. This type of CR39 is used in the MACRO experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory.     

Development of a high speed imaging microscope and new software for nuclear track detector analysis

Automated digital imaging optical microscopy is widely used for diagnostic applications in the health care and biology fields and for routine inspection in industrial applications such as semiconductor fabrication. These applications require the imaging of large areas at high speed in order to obtain sufficient data for image processing with good statistics. Track detector analysis also benefits from the rapid acquisition of large areas on the detector surface. We have developed a new microscope system, the HSP-1000, for high speed image acquisition that uses a line sensor camera in place of a traditional CCD camera. Continuous, automatic focusing of the microscope is achieved by means of an optical pick-up system that provides fast feedback for control of distance between the objective and the image surface. Using transmitted light illumination, the microscope is able to digitize a area at resolution in . As a result of continuous stage motion and continuous focusing, we have attained image acquisition speeds that are 50–100 times faster than conventional CCD-based microscope systems. In this paper, we describe a number of aspects of the microscope system including the use of the line sensor and the automatic focus system.     

Search for magnetic monopoles with the nuclear track detector of the MACRO experiment at gran SASSO

In this paper the limits are presented which were obtained by the search for magnetic monopoles using the MACRO track-etch subdetector as a stand alone detector. We compare the flux upper limit for g = g_D monopoles to other limits obtained by different subdetectors of MACRO, till August 1, 1995, when the construction of the apparatus was completed. The global MACRO monopole limit is compared with other limits from different experiments.     

TN method for the critical thickness of one-speed neutrons in a slab with forward and backward scattering

The critical slab problem in the case of combination of forward and backward scattering with usual isotropic scattering is studied for one-speed neutrons in a uniform finite slab by using T_N method based on Chebyshev polynomial approximation and Marshak boundary conditions. It is shown that T_N method gives accurate results in one-dimensional geometry and is very efficient both in derivation of equations and rapid convergence. Numerical results obtained by T_N method are compared against the P_N method in tabular form, which agreed quite well.     

Detection of 3He spins with ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance employing SQUIDs for application to a neutron electric dipole moment experiment

The precession of ³He spins is detected with ultra-low field NMR. The absolute strength of the NMR signal is accurately measured and agrees closely with theoretical calculations. The sensitivity is analyzed for applications to a neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) fundamental symmetry experiment under development.     

Efficient design method for cell allocation in hybrid CMOS/nanodevices using a cultural algorithm with chaotic behavior

The hybrid CMOS molecular (CMOL) circuit, which combines complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) components with nanoscale wires and switches, can exhibit significantly improved performance. In CMOL circuits, the nanodevices, which are called cells, should be placed appropriately and are connected by nanowires. The cells should be connected such that they follow the shortest path. This paper presents an efficient method of cell allocation in CMOL circuits with the hybrid CMOS/nanodevice structure; the method is based on a cultural algorithm with chaotic behavior. The optimal model of cell allocation is derived, and the coding of an individual representing a cell allocation is described. Then the cultural algorithm with chaotic behavior is designed to solve the optimal model. The cultural algorithm consists of a population space, a belief space, and a protocol that describes how knowledge is exchanged between the population and belief spaces. In this paper, the evolutionary processes of the population space employ a genetic algorithm in which three populations undergo parallel evolution. The evolutionary processes of the belief space use a chaotic ant colony algorithm. Extensive experiments on cell allocation in benchmark circuits showed that a low area usage can be obtained using the proposed method, and the computation time can be reduced greatly compared to that of a conventional genetic algorithm.