Primary result of ^236U measurement with accelerator mass spectrometry at CIAE

The rare isotope ^236U has a half-life of 2.342（3）×107 years, and is produced principally by thermal neutron capture on ^235U. The isotopic atom ratio of ^236U/^238U depends on the integral thermal neutron flux received by the material of interest. ^236U is potentially useful as a ＂fingerprint＂ for indicating the presence of neutron-irradiated uranium usually originating from nuclear activity. By extracting negative molecular ion UO^- from the uranium oxide target, simulating the ^236U^16O^- beam transport with ^238U^16O^- and ^208Pb2^16O^- pilot molecular ion beam, transporting the ^236U-containing ion beam with a high resolution injection magnet analyzer and electrostatic analyzer system, and finally identifying and detecting ^236U with a time-of-flight detector （TOF）, a method for AMS （Accelerator Mass Spectrometry） measurement of ^236U was established on the HI-13 Accelerator AMS system at China Institute of Atomic Energy.     

Primary result of ~(236)U measurement with accelerator mass spectrometry at CIAE

The rare isotope 236U has a half-life of 2.342(3)×107 years,and is produced principally by thermal neutron capture on 235U.The isotopic atom ratio of 236U/238U depends on the integral thermal neutron flux received by the material of interest.236U is potentially useful as a fingerprint for indicating the presence of neutron-irradiated uranium usually originating from nuclear activity.By extracting negative molecular ion UO- from the uranium oxide target,simulating the 236U16O- beam transport with 238U16O- an...     

锂玻璃探测器中子探测效率的刻度

为了精确测量keV能区的中子俘获截面,中国原子能科学研究院正在建造一台4π 全吸收型γ 探测装置---GTAF,锂玻璃探测器将会作为中子束流监视器测量中子能谱。利用5SDH-2 加速器刻度了锂玻璃探测器在两个入射中子单能点(250 和565 keV) 的探测效率,并使用EANT4 和MCNP 程序模拟计算了锂玻璃探测器的相对探测效率。通过归一化实验数据和模拟结果,得到了锂玻璃探测器在10keV~1 MeV 能区的中子探测效率曲线。对于把锂玻璃探测器测量得到的飞行时间谱转化为中子束流能谱,是一项非常重要的工作,同时为探测器效率刻度提供了新方法。In order to accurately measure the neutron capture cross section in the energy range of keVMeV, 4 πgamma-ray total absorption facility (GTAF) is being constructed at China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The lithium glass detector will be used as a neutron beam monitor for GTAF. The detection efficiency of the lithium glass detector at two incident neutron energy points (250, 565 keV) was calibrated in 5SDH-2 accelerator, and the relative detection efficiency was simulated by GEANT4 and MCNP code. By the normalization of the experimental data and simulation result, the neutron detection efficiency curve of the lithium glass detector between 10 keV and 1 MeV was obtained. This work will be important to convert the Time-of-flight spectrum that be measured by Li-glass detector to the energy spectrum of neutron beam, and provide the new method for calibration of detection efficiency.     

中子注量率波动修正因子及其应用

在中子核反应研究中,尤其是在利用活化法进行中子核反应截面测量研究时,需要准确测量样品辐照的中子注量。监督反应标准截面法简便可行,在一些核反应截面测量研究中经常用来定量样品辐照的中子注量。在利用监督片核反应剩余核的放射性活度计算平均中子注量率时,中子注量率波动修正因子是一个很重要的参数。对中子注量率波动修正因子进行了详细阐述,通过理论推导给出了中子注量率波动修正因子的定义,从实际应用出发讨论了中子注量率波动修正因子的使用条件和监督反应的选择原则。Incident neutron flux has to be measured accurately in the neutron reaction study especially in the neutron reaction cross-section measurement with activation method. Average neutron flux in the irradiated sample is usually determined by the monitor reaction with reference cross-section values. However, the average incident neutron flux, based on the radioactivity of the residual nuclei produced in the monitor reaction, is dependent upon the neutron flux fluctuation. In the procedure of the average neutron flux calculation, the correction factor for the neutron flux fluctuation plays a key role. In this paper, definition of the neutron flux fluctuation correction factor is inferred heoretically. The selection principles of the monitor reaction and the utilization of the correction factor have been discussed.     

(n,γ)反应实验研究中的中子屏蔽设计

用射线全吸收型装置(Gamma-ray Total Absorption Facility,GTAF),可以对中子俘获反应截面进行高精度测量。为了降低实验本底,实验中需要对源中子进行准直和屏蔽,还要对被样品散射的中子进行吸收以减少它们进入探测器后所形成的干扰。采用MCNP对中子的准直器、屏蔽体和中子吸收体进行了模拟设计,中子准直屏蔽体材料选用含硼聚乙烯(BC4 的质量分数为3%) 和铅。准直孔直径为13 mm,长度为500mm,经准直后样品处中子束斑坪顶直径为21 mm。中子吸收体材料选用聚乙烯和碳化硼,吸收体球壳内腔半径30 mm,聚乙烯壳层厚度60 mm,碳化硼壳层厚度10 mm,被样品散射的中子经吸收体后衰减93.7%。Neutron capture cross section can be measured by Gamma-ray Total Absorption Facility (GTAF) with high precision. To reduce the background of experiments, the neutron source must be collimated and shielded, and the neutrons scattered from the sample must be absorbed to minimise interference after they go into the detector. The shield, collimator and absorber were simulated and designed with MCNP code. Boron-ontainingpolyethylene with 3% BC4 and lead are used as the materials for the neutron collimator and shield. The diameter of the collimating aperture is 13 mm, and the length of the collimator is 500 mm. After being collimated, the diameter of neutron beam plateau at the sample position is 21 mm. The neutron absorber is made of polyethylene and BC4, and the thickness of polyethylene shell and BC4 shell are 60 and 10 mm, respectively. The simulated result shows that neutrons scattered from the sample can decay 93.7% through the neutron absorber.     

中国散裂中子源反角白光中子源束内伽马射线研究

在基于白光中子源的中子核反应测量中,伴随中子束的伽马射线是重要的实验本底之一.本文对中国散裂中子源反角白光中子源的束内伽马射线进行了研究.通过蒙特卡罗模拟,得到了伽马射线的能量分布和时间结构.通过直接测量和间接测量两种方法测得低能中子区的束内伽马射线的时间结构.直接测量实验中,将载6Li的ZnS(Ag)闪烁体探测器置于束流线上,通过飞行时间法直接测量束内的中子和伽马射线的时间结构,并利用波形甄别技术进行粒子鉴别.间接测量法是将铅样品置于束流线上,利用C6D6闪烁体探测器测量样品上的散射伽马射线,从而得到入射伽马射线的时间结构.实验测量结果与模拟结果在12μs—2.0 ms的时间区间内具有较好的一致性.     

25Mg(p, γ)26Al实验研究进展

长寿命放射性核素26Al是星际介质、$\gamma$射线天文学和太阳系形成研究中最重要的核素之一。最可能合成26Al的三种天体场所都与25Mg(${\rm p},\,{\rm{\gamma }}$)26Al反应相关,因此精确测量其近阈能级的共振强度和天体物理反应率对人们认识宇宙26Al的来源具有重要意义。本文回顾了25Mg(${\rm p},\,{\rm{\gamma }}$)26Al反应的实验研究方法和最新研究进展,特别是介绍了我国对该反应的间接测量实验以及直接实验测量计划。当前的间接测量结果提升了25Mg(${\rm p},\,{\rm{\gamma }}$)26Al天体物理反应率的精度,也可以帮助我们估算直接测量的产额,并优化深地直接测量的实验设计。高能点的直接测量结果与国际上其它实验结果在误差范围内符合很好,表明本项目研制的探测装置工作状态良好,能够胜任锦屏深地核天体物理实验研究。     

New detector system to measure (n,γ) reaction cross section precisely in China

Based on the urgent requirement of the (n,γ) reaction cross-section in the energy range of keV~MeV, 4π gamma total absorption facility (GTAF) is being constructed at China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). In this paper, firstly the review of historic experimental facilities over the world is presented, and then measurement method of GTAF is described. Finally, the structure requirement for GTAF is presented. Neutron capture reactions are the key process of nucleosynthesis in astrophysics beyond iron element. The application of such facility will improve the experimental condition for the research of (n,γ) reaction.