Neutron flux characterization techniques for radiation effects studies

In the field of radiation effects in materials, a detailed and precise description of the radiation environment used to damage samples is often required to make sense of subsequent materials analysis. The types of reactions and extent of damage that occur during irradiation strongly depend on the flux spectrum of the particular facility. Different neutron activation techniques for characterizing neutron flux spectra were performed on the University of Texas at Austin TRIGA research reactor’s in-core facilities. The results were compared in terms of spectral detail and precision. Activation of Au foils with multiple correction factors, and multiple foil activation employing different deconvolution techniques comprise the methods tested.