Comparing Geant4 hadronic models for the WENDI-II rem meter response function

Area of Science:

• Radiation detection and measurement
• Nuclear physics and instrumentation

Background:

• The WENDI-II rem meter is a popular neutron dosemeter for radiation protection.
• Its energy response approximates the conversion function for ambient dose equivalent from thermal energies to 5 GeV.

Purpose of the Study:

• To simulate the WENDI-II response function using Geant4.
• To compare low- and high-energy hadronic models within the Geant4 toolkit.

Main Methods:

• Geant4 toolkit for Monte Carlo simulation.
• Analysis of WENDI-II response function across neutron energies.
• Comparison of Bertini Cascade, Binary Cascade, and low-energy parameterised models.

Main Results:

• Thermal treatment of hydrogen in polyethylene significantly impacts the detector response for neutrons <4 eV.
• Bertini Cascade and Binary Cascade models show good correlation with literature data for neutrons >19 MeV.
• Low-energy parameterised models are unsuitable for this application.

Conclusions:

• Geant4 simulations are effective for evaluating hadronic models for neutron dosimetry.
• Accurate modeling of low-energy neutron interactions is crucial for WENDI-II response.
• High-energy hadronic models in Geant4 are suitable for simulating WENDI-II response above 19 MeV.