Development and characterization of a D-D fast neutron generator for imaging applications

Robert Adams; Lorenz Bort; Robert Zboray; Horst-Michael Prasser

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.11.017

Development and characterization of a D-D fast neutron generator for imaging applications

Appl Radiat Isot. 2015 Feb:96:114-121. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.11.017. Epub 2014 Nov 26.

Authors

Robert Adams¹, Lorenz Bort², Robert Zboray³, Horst-Michael Prasser⁴

Affiliations

¹ Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: adams@lke.mavt.ethz.ch.
² Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
³ Paul Scherrer Institut, Nuclear Energy and Safety Research Department, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
⁴ Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Paul Scherrer Institut, Nuclear Energy and Safety Research Department, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.

PMID: 25481677
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2014.11.017

Abstract

The experimental characterization of a pulsed D-D fast neutron generator designed for fan-beam tomography applications is presented. Using Monte Carlo simulations the response of an LB6411 neutron probe was related to the neutron generator output. The yield was measured to be up to ∼10(7) neutrons/s. An aluminum block was moved stepwise between the source and a BC400 plastic scintillator detector in order to measure an edge response. This edge response was related to the neutron emitting spot size using Monte Carlo simulations and a simplified geometry-based model. The experimentally determined spot size of 2.2 mm agreed well with the simulated value of 1.5 mm. The time-dependence of pulsed output for various operating conditions was also measured. The neutron generator was found to satisfy design requirements for a planned fast neutron tomography arrangement based on a plastic scintillator detector array which is expected to be capable of producing 2D tomograms with a resolution of ∼1.5 mm.

Keywords: D–D neutron generator; Fast neutron imaging; Neutron tomography.