EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE NEUTRON SOURCE BASED ON THE Ga(γ, n) REACTION

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Authors & Affiliations

Mitrofanov K.V., Piksaikin V.M., Egorov A.S., Gremyachkin D.E.
A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering, Obninsk, Russia

Mitrofanov K.V. – Head of the Laboratory, A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering. Contacts: 1, pl. Bondarenko, Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249033. Tel.: +7(484) 399-83-49; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Piksaikin V.M. – Leading Researcher, Cand. Sci. (Phys.-Math.), A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering.
Egorov A.S. – Researcher, A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering.
Gremyachkin D.E. – Junior Researcher, A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering.

Abstract

The creation of an intensive neutron source based on an electron accelerator without fission materials is a promising direction in the production of radioactive isotopes of medical purpose. The basis of the technical approach is to combine the technology of liquid metals and powerful electron beams with an average energy of up to 50 MeV. The liquid gallium is used as the target and coolant. The liquid gallium activation by neutrons and bremsstrahlung gamma rays leads to the formation of short-lived radioactive nuclei. As a result, the gallium is an environmentally safe as the target with an unlimited period of use, and the technology of intense neutron source based on the gallium target does not require the processing and storage of radioactive waste. This paper presents the results of series of experiments aimed at experimental investigation of neutron-physical characteristics of the gallium target. For this purpose were carried out the complex studies of nuclear-physical characteristics of the gallium target, including the energy dependence of the neutron flux density at the target surface, the energy dependence of the neutron flux density inside the target, the radial distribution of the flux density inside the target. The time dependence of the activity decrease of irradiated gallium were measured. The experiments were performed at the IREN installation (JINR, Dubna).

Keywords
giant dipole resonance, photoneutrons, neutron radiative capture, neutron flux density, activation analysis

Article Text (PDF, in Russian)

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UDC 539.1.07

Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2017, issue 4, 4:5

BROND-3.1

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EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE NEUTRON SOURCE BASED ON THE Ga(γ, n) REACTION