Applications of Bonner sphere detectors in neutron field dosimetry

Abstract

The major advantage of the BSS is that it covers an energy range from thermal to hundreds of MeV. No other spectrometer covers this entire energy range. Among its disadvantages are its inherently low energy resolution and its weight (up to 47 kg). Another disadvantage is that if one uses a single detector for all the moderators, one has to be concerned with changes in the neutron field between measurements. On the other hand, if one uses multiple detectors, one for each moderator, and makes a simultaneous exposure of the entire system, the concern is about spatial variations of the neutron field and interference or 'cross-talk' between detectors. Problems that should be studied in the future include: benchmarking for testing of spectral deconvolution codes; determination of what is an adequate BSS, i.e., how many and what size moderators should be used; development of deconvolution codes for uses with microcomputers so that real time data reduction becomes a reality, and a study of the interference of one moderator with another.