Vol. 8, 2023
Radiation Measurements
SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS AND CHARGED PARTICLE IDENTIFICATIONS OF THERMAL AND FAST NEUTRON DOSIMETRY USING NUCLEAR TRACK DETECTORS (NTDS)
E. H. Ghanim, S. M. Othman, A. Hussein, H. El-Samman, A. El-Sersy
Pages: 142-149
DOI: 10.37392/RapProc.2023.29
Abstract | References | Full Text (PDF)
In this work, nuclear track detectors (NTDs) of CR-39 and LR-115 were used
in identification of charged particles and determination of doses of fast
and thermal neutrons. CR-39 characterizations were carried out using
etchant conditions of 6N NaOH at 60°C with
VB ≈ 0.9 μm/hr with registration efficiency better than 90 % and critical angle of
etching under different removal layer values. In addition, CR-39 NTDs were
used in fast neutron registration utilizing their interactions with the
constituent atoms of the detector material. Induced-proton track densities
(ρT) were registered at different etching times and neutron doses (Dfn) from
1.54 up to ≈ 44 mSv. An exponential relationship between (ρT) and Dfn was found to obey the formula Dfn = 1.27 exp(0.067 ρT). An empirical formula to relate the induced proton energy (Ep)
with its (dE/dx)p in CR-39 was found to be Ep=170.031
(dE/dx)p-1.518 MeV/μm. Also, in this work, CR-39 and
LR-115 track detectors were used for detection of dose of thermal neutrons
obtained through the polymethyle methacrylate sheet (PMMA) moderation of
241Am-Be fast neutrons source with B2O 3
converter. CR-39 and LR-115 NTDs were exposed to thermal neutrons for up to
37 hrs. Four sets of detectors were irradiated at exposure times of 1.5,
18, 21 and 37 hrs. The thermal neutron fluxes were calculated from the
induced-ions track density through the concepts of the efficiency factor
from the total track density (r T). The equivalent doses (D) of
thermal neutrons were deduced using the dose-flux relationship or flux-dose
conversion factor. Moreover,
7Li (0.84 MeV) and 42He (1.47 MeV) induced-ion tracks were produced from the interaction of thermal
neutrons with boron-covered CR-39 detector. The discrimination between
alpha panicles (
42He -ions) and 7Li-ions was carried out extensively. Data
measurements were repeated many times in order to achieve better accuracy.
This discrimination (or spectroscopic analysis) is based on an adequate and
careful analysis of the acquired data obtained from the circular track
diameters induced in CR-39 detectors as a result of thermal-neutron-boron
interaction mechanisms. The charged particles (4He,
7Li) identifications were successfully obtained using
circular-track diameter analysis method with alpha tracks from
241Am alpha reference source. Although such method is tedious, results are
indeed encouraging and certainly recommended. Results of this study are
then discussed within the frame work of track formation theories and
etching mechanism in NTDs.
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