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Short-Pulse Photoneutron Production on Beryllium Using the Mercury Pulsed Power X-ray Source

Conference ·
OSTI ID:1526047
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  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
  2. Nevada National Security Site, Mission Support and Test Services LLC
  3. U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
  4. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico
+ Show Author Affiliations
An x-ray beam can produce neutrons using beryllium as a photoneutron converter because of the relatively low 9Be(ɤ,n) reaction energy threshold. Previous photoneutron production simulations have focused on using a linear accelerator and heavy water to generate photoneutrons for potential medical therapies. This experimental work focused on creating a short, intense neutron pulse using the Mercury pulsed power machine at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, which fired a Bremsstrahlung photon beam with an energy endpoint of 4.8 MeV. Several independent detector systems were included in the experiment to measure both the characteristics of the x-ray pulse and resulting photoneutrons. We discovered the neutron pulse follows the time history of the x-ray pulse, enabling neutron pulses as short as 30 ns with less than 10% shot-to-shot variation. The approach offers a high-flux of neutrons with a higher end-point energy than using a heavy water converter. Previous experiments at Mercury have generated fission neutrons using a higher x-ray endpoint and 238U(n,f). Results indicate that with an optimized diode and beryllium converter target design, neutron production could be further increased.
Research Organization:
Nevada National Security Site/Mission Support and Test Services LLC; Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory; Nevada National Security Site, Mission Support and Test Services LLC; Sandia National Laboratories; U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
DOE Contract Number:
NA0003624
OSTI ID:
1526047
Report Number(s):
DOE/NV/03624--0168
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
photoneutron
beryllium
Mercury Pulsed Power X-Ray Source