Simulations of slow positron production using a low-energy electron accelerator

Journal Article · Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3599156· OSTI ID:22062349

O'Rourke, B E; Kinomura, A; Kuroda, R; Ohdaira, T; Oshima, N; Suzuki, R ^[1]; Hayashizaki, N ^[2]; Minehara, E J ^[3]

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1. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST-Central 2, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan)
2. Tokyo Institute of Technology, Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550 (Japan)
3. The Wakasa Wan Energy Research Centre, 64-52-1 Nagatani, Tsuruga, Fukui 941-0821 (Japan)

Monte Carlo simulations of slow positron production via energetic electron interaction with a solid target have been performed. The aim of the simulations was to determine the expected slow positron beam intensity from a low-energy, high-current electron accelerator. By simulating (a) the fast positron production from a tantalum electron-positron converter and (b) the positron depth deposition profile in a tungsten moderator, the slow positron production probability per incident electron was estimated. Normalizing the calculated result to the measured slow positron yield at the present AIST linear accelerator, the expected slow positron yield as a function of energy was determined. For an electron beam energy of 5 MeV (10 MeV) and current 240 {mu}A (30 {mu}A), production of a slow positron beam of intensity 5 x 10{sup 6} s{sup -1} is predicted. The simulation also calculates the average energy deposited in the converter per electron, allowing an estimate of the beam heating at a given electron energy and current. For low-energy, high-current operation the maximum obtainable positron beam intensity will be limited by this beam heating.

• OSTI ID: 22062349
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 82, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DEPOSITION
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON-POSITRON INTERACTIONS
ENERGY DEPENDENCE
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
MEV RANGE 01-10
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PENETRATION DEPTH
POSITRON BEAMS
TAIL ELECTRONS
TANTALUM
TUNGSTEN