Application of a Bonner sphere spectrometer for the determination of the angular neutron energy spectrum of an accelerator-based BNCT facility

N Mirzajani; R Ciolini; A Di Fulvio; J Esposito; F d'Errico

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.12.030

Application of a Bonner sphere spectrometer for the determination of the angular neutron energy spectrum of an accelerator-based BNCT facility

Appl Radiat Isot. 2014 Jun:88:216-20. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.12.030. Epub 2014 Jan 4.

Authors

N Mirzajani¹, R Ciolini², A Di Fulvio³, J Esposito⁴, F d'Errico³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lazzarino 2, I-56126 Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: n.mirzajani@ing.unipi.it.
² Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lazzarino 2, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
³ Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lazzarino 2, I-56126 Pisa, Italy; School of Medicine, Yale University, 300 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, USA.
⁴ National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Legnaro National Laboratories, Viale dell'Università 2, I-35020 Legnaro, Italy.

PMID: 24461556
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.12.030

Abstract

Experimental activities are underway at INFN Legnaro National Laboratories (LNL) (Padua, Italy) and Pisa University aimed at angular-dependent neutron energy spectra measurements produced by the (9)Be(p,xn) reaction, under a 5MeV proton beam. This work has been performed in the framework of INFN TRASCO-BNCT project. Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS), based on (6)LiI (Eu) scintillator, was used with the shadow-cone technique. Proper unfolding codes, coupled to BSS response function calculated by Monte Carlo code, were finally used. The main results are reported here.

Keywords: Angular-dependent neutron energy spectra; Bonner sphere spectrometer; Shadow-cone technique; Unfolding code.

MeSH terms

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / instrumentation*
Equipment Design
Equipment Failure Analysis
Neutrons / therapeutic use*
Particle Accelerators / instrumentation*
Radiometry / instrumentation*
Radiotherapy Dosage
Spectrum Analysis / instrumentation*