Absolute calibration of a total yield indium activation detector for DD and DT neutrons

Conference · Tue Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:10133642

Ruiz, C L; Leeper, R J; Schmidlapp, F A ^[1]; Cooper, G ^[2]; Malbrough, D J ^[3]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
3. General Electric Co., St. Petersburg, FL (United States)

Progress in Z-pinch experiments at Sandia`s Saturn Facility have underscored a need for an absolute yield measurement for DD fusion neutrons. The technique chosen for making this absolute yield measurement was neutron activation of indium metal samples. To calibrate the technique, a 175 keV deuteron beam was allowed to impinge on a 3.0-micron thick erbium deuteride target, producing neutrons through the {sup 2}H(d,n){sup 3}He fusion reaction. The neutron flux produced at 0 degrees and incident on nominal 5 gram indium samples was determined by the associated particle method. This method employed protons measured from the {sup 2}H(d,p){sup 3}H reaction to infer the neutron flux produced. After neutron irradiation, the activity of the indium samples was measured with a Ge gamma-ray detector. The total activity of the metastable state {sup 115m}In(336.23 keV) was measured, compared with the total incident flux, and a calibration factor determined. For completeness, a calibration factor for DT neutrons from the {sup 3}H(d,n){sup 4}He fusion reaction was also obtained through the measured activity of the metastable state in {sup 114m}In(190.29 keV). The experiment and the measured calibration factors for both reactions are described in the paper.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 10133642
• Report Number(s): SAND--92-0189C; CONF-920362--5; ON: DE92010775
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440101
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700360
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
CALIBRATION
CROSS SECTIONS
DEUTERIUM TARGET
DEUTERON REACTIONS
FUSION REACTIONS
GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
GENERAL DETECTORS OR MONITORS AND RADIOMETRIC INSTRUMENTS
INDIUM 115
LINEAR Z PINCH DEVICES
NEUTRON DETECTORS
TRITIUM TARGET