Fast neutron spectrometry using thick threshold detectors

This paper discusses the use of thick threshold activation detectors for the characterization of low intensity neutron fields. This technique has been applied to the determination of the spectral emission of a low activity (37 GBq) Am-Be source. The reaction rates induced by the neutrons emitted by this source in different thick metallic targets (Al, Si, Fe, In) have been measured in the following reactions: 27Al(n,p)27Mg, 27Al(n,α)24Na, 28Si(n,p)28Al, 56Fe(n,p)56Mn, 115In(n, n′)115mIn and 115In(n, γ)116mIn. Each measured reaction rate corresponding to a threshold detector response depends on the spectral emission of the source via a correcting factor. This factor, which takes into account the source detector geometry, the neutron attenuation and diffusion by the detectors, has been determined by Monte Carlo simulation using MCNP5 code. The spectral emission of the neutron source has been generated from the response matrix of the threshold detectors by using different neutron spectrum unfolding methods (Stayn'l, Gravel and Maxed). A fairly good agreement with the assumed ISO spectrum has been achieved

Comparison of RPL GD-301 and TLD-100 detectors responses by Monte Carlo simulation

(LiF:Mg,Ti) Thermo Luminescent Detectors are widely used for monitoring patient dose in radiotherapy treatments whereas Radio-Photoluminescent Dosimeters (RPL) are increasingly devoted to radiological protection purposes. A study, aiming at extending the use of RPL glasses to clinical applications, is conducted by comparing the dosimetric characteristics of a RPL glass dosimeter, commercially known as GD-301 to those of a TLD -100 detector. In this paper, preliminary Monte Carlo simulation results describing these dosimeters responses in terms of absorbed dose, source-detector distance and characteristics of the incident gamma field are presented