Test of a bubble passive spectrometer for neutron dosimetry

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Radiation Detection and Measurement

Background:

• Mixed radiation fields pose challenges for accurate neutron dose evaluation.
• Passive systems are needed for neutron spectrometry in diverse environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test and validate a passive neutron spectrometry system using bubble detectors.
• To evaluate the system's capability for neutron dose assessment in mixed radiation fields.
• To assess the performance of a new unfolding code, BUNTO.

Main Methods:

• Experimental exposure of bubble detectors to a standard AmBe neutron source.
• Measurements at a photonuclear facility using a bremsstrahlung photon beam to generate neutron spectra.
• Simulations using MCNP4B and MCNP4B-GN for experimental apparatus.
• Comparison of experimental data with simulation results.

Main Results:

• The bubble detector system demonstrated suitability for neutron energy distribution evaluation (10 keV-20 MeV).
• Effective performance was observed even in the presence of intense gamma radiation.
• Good agreement was achieved between experimental measurements and MCNP simulation data.

Conclusions:

• The passive bubble detector system is a viable tool for neutron spectrometry and dose evaluation.
• The developed unfolding code BUNTO is effective for analyzing the data.
• The system shows promise for applications in medical accelerators, nuclear reactors, and space exploration.