Fast neutron detection at near-core location of a research reactor with a SiC detector

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

5 years ago

Fast neutron detection at near-core location of a research reactor with a SiC detector

The measurable charged-particle produced from the fast neutron interactions with the Si and C nucleuses can make a wide bandgap silicon carbide (SiC) sensor intrinsically sensitive to neutrons. The 4H-SiC Schottky detectors have been fabricated and tested at up to 500 °C, presenting only a slightly degraded energy resolution. The response spectrum of the SiC detectors were also obtained by exposing the detectors to external neutron beam irradiation and at a near-core location where gamma-ray field is intense. The fast neutron flux of these two locations are

\sim 4.8 \times 1 0^{4} {cm}^{- 2} \cdot s^{- 1}

and

\sim 2.2 \times 1 0^{7} {cm}^{- 2} \cdot s^{- 1}

, respectively. At the external beam location, a Si detector was irradiated side-by-side with SiC detector to disjoin the neutron response from Si atoms. The contribution of gamma ray, neutron scattering, and charged-particles producing reactions in the SiC was discussed. The fast neutron detection efficiencies were determined to be

6.43 \times 1 0^{- 4}

for the external fast neutron beam irradiation and

6.13 \times 1 0^{- 6}

for the near-core fast neutron irradiation.

Publisher URL: www.sciencedirect.com/science

DOI: S0168900218300998