Development of a quasi-monoenergetic neutron field using the 7 Li(p,n) 7Be reaction in the energy range from 250 to 390 MeV at RCNP

Abstract

A quasi-monoenergetic neutron field using the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction has been developed at the ring cyclotron facility at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. Neutrons were generated from a 10-mm-thick Li target injected by 250, 350 and 392 MeV protons and neutrons produced at 0° were extracted into the time-of-flight (TOF) room of 100-m length through the concrete collimator of 10 × 12 cm aperture and 150 cm thickness. The neutron energy spectra were measured by a 12.7-cm diam × 12.7-cm long NE213 organic liquid scintillator using the TOF method. The peak neutron fluence was 1.94 × 1010, 1.07 × 1010 and 1.50 × 1010 n sr-1 per μC of 250, 350 and 392 MeV protons, respectively. The neutron spectra generated from various thick (stopping length) targets of carbon, aluminium, iron and lead, bombarded by 250 and 350 MeV protons, were also measured with the TOF method. Although these measurements were performed to obtain thick target neutron yields, they are also used as a continuous energy neutron field. These neutron fields are very useful for characterising neutron detectors, measuring neutron cross sections, testing irradiation effects for various materials and performing neutron shielding experiments. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.