Proof-of-concept study on a water phantom-based neutron spectrometer: Experimental test with ²⁵²Cf and ²⁴¹Am-Be...

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising cancer treatment that uses energetic ions released from ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li reactions. Accurate assessment of neutron energy spectra is important for simulation-based evaluation of neutron doses during BNCT. In this study, a proof-of-concept study was conducted for a neutron spectrometry technique that involves the use of a water phantom, which is commonly used for quality assurance in BNCT, as a moderator. The technique involves applying unfolding to the count rate distribution of the thermal neutron counter measured within the phantom to derive the energy spectrum. We performed experiments using a spherical ³He proportional counter in neutron fields generated by ²⁵²Cf and ²⁴¹Am-Be sources. The results demonstrated that the spectrometer reasonably reproduced neutron spectra and showed the potential of using a water phantom as a moderator for such a technique.