Two-coordinate position-sensitive monitor-detector of thermal neutrons

Development of new high-flux-intensity neutron sources and the need to equip them with efficient spectrometers raises the problem of designing special-purpose direct-beam monitors-detectors. These detectors feature an extremely low efficiency and a very low attenuation of the incident neutron beam. In this work, a two-coordinate position-sensitive monitor-detector is described that was developed for real-time recording of the profile of neutron beams generated by both steady and pulsed neutron sources. The basic parameters of this device are the following: a coordinate resolution of 4 × 4 mm², a sensitive area of 100 × 100 mm², and a recording efficiency of 10^?6?10^?2. Use of nitrogen as a converter makes it possible to achieve a record low efficiency and still maintain other parameters at a desired level. The device can be combined not only with high-flux-intensity neutron sources already in use worldwide but also with next-generation sources being developed in the United States (SNS) and Japan (JPARC).     

Enrico Fermi’s Discovery of Neutron-Induced Artificial Radioactivity: Neutrons and Neutron Sources

We reconstruct and analyze the path leading from James Chadwick’s discovery of the neutron in February 1932 through Frédéric Joliot and Irène Curie’s discovery of artificial radioactivity in January 1934 to Enrico Fermi’s discovery of neutron-induced artificial radioactivity in March 1934. We show, in particular, that Fermi’s innovative construction and use of radon-beryllium neutron sources permitted him to make his discovery.     

Neutron halo isomers in stable nuclei and their possible application for the production of low energy, pulsed, polarized neutron beams of high intensity and high brilliance

We propose to search for neutron halo isomers populated via γ-capture in stable nuclei with mass numbers of about A=140–180 or A=40–60, where the 4s _1/2 or 3s _1/2 neutron shell model state reaches zero binding energy. These halo nuclei can be produced for the first time with new γ-beams of high intensity and small band width (≤0.1%) achievable via Compton back-scattering off brilliant electron beams, thus offering a promising perspective to selectively populate these isomers with small separation energies of 1 eV to a few keV. Similar to single-neutron halo states for very light, extremely neutron-rich, radioactive nuclei (Hansen et al. in Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 45:591–634, 1995; Tanihata in J. Phys. G., Nucl. Part. Phys. 22:158–198, 1996; Aumann et al. in Phys. Rev. Lett. 84:35, 2000), the low neutron separation energy and short-range nuclear force allow the neutron to tunnel far out into free space much beyond the nuclear core radius. This results in prolonged half-lives of the isomers for the γ-decay back to the ground state in the 100 ps-μs range. Similar to the treatment of photodisintegration of the deuteron, the neutron release from the neutron halo isomer via a second, low-energy, intense photon beam has a known much larger cross section with a typical energy threshold behavior. In the second step, the neutrons can be released as a low-energy, pulsed, polarized neutron beam of high intensity and high brilliance, possibly being much superior to presently existing beams from reactors or spallation neutron sources.     

On the limit of neutron fluxes in the fission-based pulsed neutron sources

The upper limit of the density of the thermal neutron flux from pulsed sources based on the fission reaction is established. Three types of sources for research on ejected beams are considered: a multiplying target of the proton accelerator (a booster), a booster with the reactivity modulation (a superbooster), and a pulsing reactor. Comparison with other high-flux sources is carried out. The investigation has been performed at the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics of JINR.     

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     

Nested neutron microfocusing optics on SNAP

The high source intensity of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), together with efficient detectors and large detector solid angles, now makes possible neutron experiments with much smaller sample volumes than previously were practical. Nested Kirkpatrick–Baez supermirror optics provide a promising and efficient way to further decrease the useable neutron sample size by focusing polychromatic neutrons into microbeams. Because the optics are nondispersive, they are ideal for spallation sources and for polychromatic and wide bandpass experiments on reactor sources. Theoretical calculations indicate that nested mirrors can preserve source brilliance at the sample for small beams and for modest divergences that are appropriate for diffraction experiments. Although the flux intercepted by a sample can be similar with standard beam-guided approaches, the signal-to-background is much improved with small beams on small samples. Here we describe the design, calibration and performance of a nested neutron mirror pair for the Spallation Neutrons At Pressure (SNAP) beamline at the SNS. High-pressure neutron diffraction is but one example of a large class of neutron experiments that will benefit from spatially-resolved microdiffraction.     

Neutron standing waves in layered systems: Formation,detection, and application in neutron physics and for investigation of nanostructures

Specific features of different regimes of the neutron’s wave field are theoretically considered. The results of experimental studies of the regime of a neutron’s standing waves both in the primary channel of neutron specular reflection and in different channels of registration of secondary emission are considered. Some studies of layered structures performed with the help of a neutron’s standing waves are considered. The prospects of application of a neutron’s standing waves in neutron physics and for investigation of layered nanostructures are considered.     

Droplet velocity and acceleration measurements in dense sprays by laser flow tagging

The feasibility of liquid-phase velocity measurements in dense sprays by 2D laser-based flow tagging is demonstrated. Velocity measurements in dense sprays are difficult with conventional techniques because of the high number densities of droplets, the optical thickness of the medium, and multiple light-scattering effects. The present flow-tagging technique is based on phosphorescent tracer molecules, which are excited by a grid of pulsed ‘write’ laser beams. The motion of the tagged droplet groups can be observed by a CCD camera in this way. In addition, multiple consecutive velocity measurements are performed by ‘droplet-group tracking’. This yields the acceleration along the trajectory of individual groups of droplets in unsteady sprays. Received: 5 June 2000 / Revised version: 28 July 2000 / Published online: 6 September 2000     

Recent improvements in the methodology of neutron imaging

The focus of this article is on further improvements of methods in neutron imaging: the increased spatial resolution for microtomography and options for energy-selective neutron imaging. Before going into details, some common statements are given in respect to the state-of-the-art in neutron imaging. A relation to the X-ray methods is mentioned, where complementary results are obtained. The potential for the energy selection is of particular interest for future installations at the new pulsed sources, based on spallation (SNS, J-PARC, ISIS-TS2). First results from preliminary studies look very promising for future material and industrial research. Therefore, statements about the set-up of the best possible imaging systems are included in the article.      

Generation of neutrons at the relaxation of fast deuterons in deuterium matter

We analyze the fusion process involving two deuterium nuclei in the case of deceleration of a fast deuteron with an energy of approximately 100 keV located in a deuterium target. We calculate the probability ω _fus(ε) of generating a neutron by a fast deuteron with an initial kinetic energy ε during its deceleration. The mean free path of fast deuterons with respect to their relaxation is found for various deuterium targets. The data are analyzed for neutron generation in deuterium cluster beams under laser irradiation. The method of neutron generation in the collision of two deuterium cluster beams is suggested. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Neutron excitation of landau and collective modes in a magnetized plasma

Summary The response function for magnetic neutron scattering off electrons forming a one-component plasma, or jellium model, subject to a steady magnetic field, is calculated in the semi-classical limit in which Boltzmann statistics apply to the electron states. A complete expression for the response of an ideal plasma is given in a compact, closed form, amenable to numerical investigation, and including the dependence on electron parameters such as effective mass and gyromagnetic ratio. Effects due to the Coulomb interaction are discussed within the limitations of the random phase approximation. The theoretical results are used to predict the conditions that must obtain for the observation of neutron excitation of Landau and collective modes.

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Riassunto La funzione di risposta per lo scattering magnetico dei neutroni dagli elettroni che forma un plasma ad un componente, o modello di jellio, soggetto ad un campo magnetico fisso, è calcolata nel limite semiclassico nel quale la statistica di Boltzmann si applichi agli stati elettronici. Si dà un’espressione completa per la risposta di un plasma ideale in una forma compatta e chiusa adatta alla ricerca numerica e che include la dipendenza dai parametri elettronici come la massa efficace ed il rapporto giromagnetico. Si discutono gli effetti dovuti all’interazione di Coulomb entro i limiti dell’approssimazione di fase random. I risultati teorici sono usati per prevedere le condizioni che devono essere ottenute dall’osservazione dell’eccitazione dei neutroni di Landau e dei modi collettivi.

     

Studies of light-charged particle emission in fission at Trombay

Studies of prompt radiations emitted in fission were started at Trombay in the late 1950’s by Dr R Ramanna and over the years extensive investigations on the emission of prompt neutrons, gamma ray and K x-rays in fission were carried out with neutron beams fromapsara andcirus reactors. In the early 1960’s studies on the emission of light-charged particles in fission, which is a rare mode of fission, were also started. This paper reviews some of the recent studies on the emission of light-charged particles (lcp) in fission which were carried out with a view to investigate the mechanism oflcp emission, the scission configuration and the dynamics of the last stages of the fission process.     

Measuring Neutron Lifetime on an IBR-2 Pulsed Neutron Source

A new method of measuring neutron lifetimes on pulsed neutron sources based on changes in the neutron spectrum during the time of the neutron transit along a rather large path length due to their decay is proposed. The main advantage of this method is the use of relative measurements. Simulating the experiment made it possible to explore the influence of background and neutron losses caused by both the interaction with residual gas and the different level of detector efficiency on the systematic errors. All parameters can be measured experimentally.     

Deposition of fullerene films from the ablation plasma generated by high-power ion beams on graphite targets

A possibility of deposing carbon films with a high content of C₆₀ and C₇₀ fullerenes from an ablation plasma generated as a result of irradiation of graphite targets by pulsed high-power ion beams is shown. The relative contents of the crystalline diamond-like carbon phase, crystalline fullerene phase, and amorphous carbon phase have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis for different deposition conditions. The nanohardness and Young’s modulus of the deposited films and their adhesion to the single-crystal silicon substrate have been measured.     

Emission of supersonic soliton wave beams—generators of restructuring of nanocrystals under atom bombardment,and the self-organization of a dynamic superlattice of complexes of soliton atomic vibrations

It has been shown that the dynamic superlattice of pulsed complexes of soliton vibrations or, actually, a “soliton crystal” is self-organized in crystalline materials at high levels of thermal and dynamic excitations of atomic vibrations. The results obtained have been adapted to the alpha uranium crystal system. It has been demonstrated that the atom bombardment of crystalline materials leads to the generation of beams of nonlinear subsonic and supersonic soliton and breather waves. The breathers and solitons initiate threshold kinetic processes of defect formation, such as surface vibrations and evaporation of surface atoms, multiple reflection of bombarding atoms, and restructuring of nanocrystals. The results obtained can be used in experimental investigations of microdynamics of materials under high dynamic and temperature loads by the neutron and ion scattering methods.     

Overview of novel techniques for radiation protection and dosimetry

Generally, the main approaches for assessing the radiation protection (RP) quantities in neutron fields are: i) the use of an instrument with a response to the protection quantity quasi-independent of energy; ii) neutron spectrometry; iii) microdosimetry.The techniques based on the first approach include rem-meters, superheated emulsions and the electronic personal dosemeters. Passive rem-meters have recently been developed for assessing the ambient dose equivalent in pulsed neutron fields around particle accelerators for hadrontherapy and research. Most of these instruments are characterised by a response extended to high-energies (up to a few GeV). An example is given by the GSI-ball, which employs a pair of LiF TLDs as a thermal neutron detector. It is likely that passive instruments will play a fundamental role also for monitoring the neutron fields generated by ultra-high intensity lasers, where the duration of a single pulse is of the order of hundreds femtoseconds.Arrays of tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs) of a millimetric/sub-millimetric physical size have been developed both for assessing the quality of therapeutic radiation beams and for estimating the RP quantities in low-intensity fields, which may limit the use of conventional microdosemeters. Very satisfactory results were obtained with GEM-based TEPCs and gas microstrip detectors (GMDs). Moreover, mini-TEPCs have been constructed and tested for measuring the quality of hadrontherapy beams (BNCT included). Silicon microdosemeters have also been demonstrated to be very promising for characterizing proton and ion beams for radiation therapy and for estimating the occurrence of single event effects in space applications.     

Neutron laue diffraction in a weakly deformed crystal at the Bragg angles close to π/2

An essential magnification of an external force acting on a diffracting neutron for the Bragg angles θ_B close to the right one is observed. Any external action (caused by either crystal deformation or external force affected the neutron) results in a bend of the so called “Kato trajectories” inside the crystal and, for the case of a finite crystal, gives considerable variation of the intensities of both diffracted neutron beams (direct and reflected). It is shown that the magnification factor is proportional to tan² (θ_b) and can reach (10²−10³) for Bragg angles surfficiently close to 90°. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Monitoring of the thermal neutron flux in the EDELWEISS II dark matter direct search experiment

The results from measurements of thermal neutron flux in the EDELWEISS II experiment aimed at the direct detection of WIMPs (weakly interacting massive particles) by means of cryogenic germanium bolometers are described. Detailed knowledge of the neutron background is of crucial importance for the experiment, since neutrons with the MeV energy range of scattering seem to be hard to distinguish from the expected WIMP signal within the bolometers. Monitoring of the thermal neutron flux is performed using a mobile detection system with a low background proportional ³He counter. The neutron flux measurements were performed both outside and inside the device’s shielding, in the direct proximity of a cryostat with built-in germanium detectors. The sensitivity of the created thermal neutron detection system is on the level of 10⁻⁹ neutron (cm² s)⁻¹.     

Hydrodynamic and hydromagnetic stability of black holes with radiative transfer

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (Chandra) was just eight years old when the first astrophysical jet was discovered in M87. Since then, jets have been uncovered with a wide variety of sources including accretion disks orbiting stellar and massive black holes, neutron stars, isolated pulsars, γ-ray bursts, protostars and planetary nebulae. This talk will be primarily concerned with collimated hydromagnetic outflows associated with spinning, massive black holes in active galactic nuclei. Jets exhibit physical processes central to three of the major research themes in Chandrasekhar’s research career – radiative transfer, magnetohydrodynamics and black holes. Relativistic jets can be thought of as ‘exhausts’ from both the hole and its orbiting accretion disk, carrying away the energy liberated by the rotating spacetime and the accreting gas that is not radiated. However, no aspect of jet formation, propagation and radiation can be regarded as understood in detail. The combination of new γ-ray, radio and optical observations together with impressive advances in numerical simulation make this a good time to settle some long-standing debates.     

The neutron interferometer as a macroscopic quantum device

Neutron interferometry is a unique tool for investigations in the field of particle-wave dualism because massive elementary particles behave like waves within the interferometer. The invention of perfect crystal neutron interferometers providing widely separated coherent beams stimulated a great variety of experiments with matter waves in the field of basic quantum mechanics. The phase of the spatial and spinor wave function become a measurable quantity and can be influenced individually. High degrees of coherence and high order interferences have been observed by this technique. The 4π-symmetry of a spinor wave function and the mutual modulation of nuclear and magnetic phase shifts have been measured in the past. Recent experiments dealt with polarized neutron beams, which are handled to realize the spin-superposition of two oppositionally polarized subbeams resulting in a final polarization perpendicular to both initial beam polarizations. The different actions on the coherent beams of static (DC) and dynamic (HF) flippers have been visualized.