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.