Prompt gamma activation analysis facility at MITR-II

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:89075

Harling, O K ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)

A relatively simple and inexpensive prompt gamma neutron activation analysis facility has been constructed at the 5-MW MITR-II research reactor. The analytical beam is obtained by diffraction using a multilayer graphite monochromator placed in the white beam of one of the MITR-II beam tubes. Use of a diffracted beam, with its concomitant reduction in sample flux compared to the direct beam from the reactor moderator, was initially dictated by the need to construct rapidly and inexpensively an analytical facility that could analyze {sup 10}B at the level of a few micrograms per gram in biological samples. By relatively simple modifications to an existing two-axis neutron spectrometer, we were able to produce a useful intensity on the sample. Furthermore, the inherent advantage of reduced background when using a Bragg diffracted beam permitted the use of short sample-to-detector distances, which compensated for the loss in slow neutron intensity in the diffraction process. The resultant facility has exceeded our initial minimum requirements for {sup 10}B analysis. In fact, the current facility provides significantly higher full-energy peak count rates than those reported for direct thermal beam facilities at reactors with twice the power of MITR-II.

• OSTI ID: 89075
• Report Number(s): CONF-941102--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 71; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
40 CHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BORON 10
HIGH-PURITY GE DETECTORS
MITR REACTOR
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
NEUTRON SOURCE FACILITIES
OPERATION