Novel 4{pi} Detection System for the Measurement of the {sup 6}Li(n,{alpha}){sup 3}H Reaction Cross Section

Journal Article · Tue Dec 13 00:00:00 EST 2011 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3665311· OSTI ID:22003910

Giorginis, Georgios; Bencardino, Raffaele ^[1]

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1. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), Retieseweg 111, B-2440 Geel (Belgium)

A dedicated one-dimensional Time Projection Chamber (1D-TPC) was designed and produced at IRMM to determine the {sup 6}Li(n,{alpha}){sup 3}H cross section in the 0.4-2.8 MeV energy range, aiming at 5% accuracy. The basic TPC components were a twin gridded ionisation chamber (GIC) with interwired electrodes and fast digitisation of the anode and cathode signals. The energy of both reaction products emitted from a thin {sup 6}LiF sample at the common TPC cathode was measured. A Kr(97%)CO{sub 2}(3%) mixture was used as the detector gas at a pressure up to 3.5 bar. A {sup 238}U sample mounted on the cathode of an ionisation chamber without grid was used as the neutron flux monitor. Special care was taken to reduce the experimental sources of uncertainty. The beam-monitor {sup 238}U sample was characterised at IRMM by low-geometry {alpha}-counting with an accuracy of 0.1%. A {sup 6}Li sample was produced at IRMM by vacuum evaporation of {sup 6}LiF onto transparent aluminium backing. The number of {sup 6}Li atoms will be measured via Thermal Neutron Depth Profiling with an expected accuracy of 2% with respect to an IRMM Standard Reference Material. First test measurements were performed using a monoenergetic neutron beam produced by the T(p,n){sup 3}He reaction at the IRMM 7 MV Van de Graaff accelerator. The experimental method and preliminary results are presented.

• OSTI ID: 22003910
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1412, Issue 1; Conference: 11. international conference on applications of nuclear techniques, Crete (Greece), 12-18 Jun 2011; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ALPHA DETECTION
ALPHA PARTICLES
CATHODES
CROSS SECTIONS
FOUR-PI DETECTORS
HELIUM 3
IONIZATION CHAMBERS
KRYPTON 97
LITHIUM 6
LITHIUM 6 TARGET
MEV RANGE
NEUTRON REACTIONS
PROTON REACTIONS
THERMAL NEUTRONS
TIME PROJECTION CHAMBERS
TRITIUM
URANIUM 238