Chara[c]terization of neutron dosimeters containing perforated neutron detectors

Abstract

Neutron dosimeters measure neutron doses but portable, real time, high efficiency, and gamma insensitive neutron dosimeters are not commonly available. Characterization of a newly invented neutron dosimeter, based on perforated semiconductor neutron detectors (SNDs) whose perforations are filled with neutron reactive material, was the main purpose of this research study. The characterization procedure was performed by both simulation and experiment. The Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) transport code was used to model a boron-filled dosimeter and to study the responses when the dosimeter was located on the surfaces of a water phantom and an anthropomorphic phantom for parallel beams of neutrons having various energy spectra. A pair of detectors was modeled: one bare and one Cd-filtered. Dosimeter responses were normalized for a beam that would produce 1 mSv ambient dose equivalent if incident on the ICRU sphere phantom. Dosimeter responses were estimated at different positions on the torso and it was found that the responses are relatively insensitive to the placement on the torso. For 100% efficient detectors and for beam with a Watt spectrum incident from front to back of the phantom, the bare detector produces about 140 counts per [Mu]Sv and the Cd-filtered detector produces about 80 counts per [Mu]Sv. The experimental characterization study involves observing SND counts with the dosimeter placed on an anthropomorphic torso phantom and determining the corresponding neutron dose. A TLD pair method was used to determine the neutron dose on the surface of the phantom. The neutron reactive material of the dosimeter was [superscript]6LiF, which is different from that assumed for the modeled dosimeter. A bare dosimeter response collected over 10 min was 25113 [plus or minus] 158 counts and the corresponding neutron dose was measured to be 2.57 mSv. The Cd-filtered dosimeter response collected over 10 min was 23886 [plus or minus] 155 counts and the corresponding neutron dose was measured to be 2.32 mSv. The neutron dosimeters are capable of detecting doses in the [Mu]Sv range and above, and are anticipated to provide direct read-out in dose units in future using count-to-dose conversion factors for bare and Cd-filtered SNDs.