Dosimetry − Poster presentations

Szewczak Kamil
Fast neutron detection by ALNOR type dosemeters with MCP-N thermoluminescence pellets

FAST NEUTRON DETECTION BY ALNOR TYPE

DOSEMETERS WITH MCP-N
THERMOLUMINESCENCE PELLETS

Szewczak, Kamil1
1
Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection, Konwaliowa St. 7, 03-194 Warsaw, POLAND

Abstract
MCP-N thermoluminescence pellets with ALNOR type individual dosemeters were
used to measure the fast neutrons component ot the 241Am-Be source. The differences
betwen TL signal of the pellets covered by the Al filter and without filter during
irradiation were observed. The point of work was to find out the rison of observed
differences in TL signal. Two possibilities, as activation of the Al filter and anisotrophy
of the pellets were taked into consideration. The calculations that have been carried out
show that the activities of radionuclides deponed in the Al filter after 600 s irradiation
were to less to had influence to incerase the TL signal of the covered pellets. Olny the
obtained dependence of TL signal from the pellets mass and high anisotrophy in
consistance could explain the observed differences.

Introduction
Correct individual monitoring of the workers exposed to the neutrons is still one of
unsolved problem in radiological protection. According to ICRP Report 103 (ICRP
1991) the neutrons at energy from 100 keV to 2 MeV have the highiest value of
radiation weighting factor wR, equal to 20 and equal to 10 for the neutrons at energy
from 2 MeV to 20 MeV. In general the neutrons are regard as the most dangerouse type
of radiation in the light of radiation protection purpose. The neutrons sources are mainly
used in the calibration facielities and reaserch units. Today the most ofen exploit
isotropic sources are Am-Be, Cf and Pu-Be. The neutrons emited by mentioned sources
were mainly in the range of energy from 0,5 MeV to 10 MeV. The ideal dosemeter
should to fulfil two main requirements, it should be able to detect the neutrons in wide
range of energy from thermal to fast ones and it should have reasonably low neutron
flux density detection threshold. In addition the dosemeter should to be unsesitive for
gamma or should give opportunity to discrimination the gamma component. Courently
for neutron individual monitoring a combinaton of properly designed albedo TLDs
(Nikodemova et al. 1992) or bubble detectors ( Apfel, Lo 1989) were mainly involved.
In this paper some initial results for new individual neutron dosemeter concept were
presented. The point of idea is to applicate in dosemeter two process. First relide on
activation of the Al filter of the dosemeter and the secound relide on measurement of

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−18, Helsinki, Finland

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 Dosimetry − Poster presentations
Szewczak Kamil
Fast neutron detection by ALNOR type dosemeters with MCP-N thermoluminescence pellets

gamma component of the activation products using thermoluminescence material. Some

investigations to use the activation of Al for neutrons measurements by TLD were made
before (Sants et al. 2006).
The following sections will present initial results which suggest possibility of
realization of the new neutron dosemeter concept. In addition some consiterations about
barriers and appear problems will be present.

Material

Filter and TL material

For all measurements presented in this work a MCP-N thermoluminescent material was
used. MCP-N is a thermoluminescence material based on LiF with the enrichment 7,5%
6
Li and 92,5% 7Li, doped with Mg, Cu and P, the material was in form of pellets of
1mm thickness and 4,5mm in diameter. Read out of the pellets was carried out with a
RADOS RE-1 reader. It will be show that the pellets are characterised by high
anisotropy of mass and consistence. During irradiation pellets were placed in ALNOR
type dosemeters which had three 1mm thickness and 5mm in diameter Al filters and
one possition without any cover. Each dosemeters were equipped in two pellets, one
covered by filter and one in bared position.

Irradiation facielity
Irradiation was carried out in Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection (CLOR)
using 241Am/Be calibration source at activity 185 GBq. According to source certificate
the neutron emmision of the source amount to 1,1 x 107 n/s. Irradiations were made in
four different distances from the source 0,8m; 1m; 1,2m and 1,4m.

Method
Basically the work was divided for two steps: calculation and measurement.
Calculations cover a counts of the neutrons flux densities at dependence of distance
from the source and counts of the activities of the activation products according to
equiation (1), whereas activity of two isotopes 27Mg and 24Na as a results of the nuclear
reaction respectively (n,p) and (n,α) were taked into consideration.
E =11

∫ S ( E )σ ( E )φN (1 − e (1)
−λt
A= )dE
E =2

where S(E) is a percentage part in the spectrum of the neutrons at energy E, σ(E)
is a cross section of the neutron at energy E, φ is a neutrons flux density, N is a nuber of
Al nucleus in the filter, λ is a decay contant and t is a time of irradiation.
For calculations a Mathematica softawre was involved, wherease a input datas as
cross sections, delay decais and energy spectrum of the Am-Be source were taked
respectively from IAEA Evaluated Nuclear Data File (http://www-
nds.iaea.org/exfor/endf.htm), LBNL Isotopes Project – LUNDS Universitet
(http://ie.lbl.gov/toi.htm) and IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 252 (IAEA 1985).
Experimental part covers a measurements of TL signals of the pellets covered and
bared during irradiations by neutrons beam. Time of irradiation was set to 600s. For
irradiations four dosemeters were prepared, each of them includes two pellets which the

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−18, Helsinki, Finland

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 Dosimetry − Poster presentations
Szewczak Kamil
Fast neutron detection by ALNOR type dosemeters with MCP-N thermoluminescence pellets

TL signal registered just after annealin was in range (c-σ, c+σ) where c is an average
TL signal from 40 pellets and σ is a standard deviation.
In addition to provide the dependence of the intensity of TL signal from mass of
the pellets theirs mass measurements and TL signal registration after 1mSv irradiation
using 137Cs source were carried out.

Results and discussion

Read out of the pellets irradiated by neutrons shows systematic increase of TL signal
from pellets covers by Al filter during irradiation, results for four distances are
presented in Figure 1. To veryfi supposed influence of gamma radiation emmited by
27
Mg and 24Na deponed in the dosemeter filter the adecvate calculations were carried
out, results of them and values of neutrons flux densities at four distances are shown in
Table 1. It was shown that the activities of activation products can not have influence
on the differences in TL signals. Mass measurement of 19 pellets gives results from
33,72 mg to 37,34 mg. There is no clear dependence betwen TL signal and tha pellets
mass, Figure 2. Results of mass measurements testify to quite high composition
anisotrophy of the pellets. For example the TL signal for a group of pellets which mass
is around 35,7 mg (marked in Figure 2) oscillate from 0,93 to 0,97.

1,20

1,16
TL signal [arb. units]

1,12

1,08

1,04

1,00

0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4

Distance [m]

Fig. 1. Differences in TL signal from pellets covered (o) and bared (∆) during irradiation at four
distances

The ratio of TL signal at the distances 0,8; 1; 1,2; 1,4m are respectively 1,12;
1,03; 1,04; 1,06.
Table 1. Neutron flux density and activities of the activation product. Time of activation 600s.

Distance Neutron flux Activity of Activity of

27 24
[cm] density Mg Na
[n/cm2s] [Bq] [Bq]
80 142 0,083 0,037
100 91 0,053 0,024
120 63 0,037 0,016
140 46 0,027 0,012

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−18, Helsinki, Finland

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 Dosimetry − Poster presentations
Szewczak Kamil
Fast neutron detection by ALNOR type dosemeters with MCP-N thermoluminescence pellets

1,2

Tl signal [arb. unit]

1,1

0,9

0,8
33,5 34 34,5 35 35,5 36 36,5 37 37,5 38

Pellet mass [mg]

Fig. 2. Dependence of TL signal from the mass of pellet

Conclusions
The concept to measure fast neutrons component indirectly by thermoluminescence
materials which register the gamma ray of the activation products seems to be possible
to realization. The main requirements that need to be fulfil are enought mass of the
activated material and the very carefully prepared calibration of the TL material. One
dosemeter should consist two or more TL materials which sensitivities are in very good
agreement.

References
Apfel, R. and Lo, Y. C. Practical Neutron Dosimetry with Superheated Drops. Health
Phys. 1989; 56: 79-83.
Internaltional Atomic Energy Agency. Neutron Monitoring for Radiological Protection.
Technical Reports Series No. 252; 1985.
International Commision on Radiological Protection. Recommendations of the
International Commision on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 60.
Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1991.
Nikodemova, D. Hrabovcova, A. Vicanova, M. And Kaclik, S. Personal Albedo
Neutron Dosemeter Using Highly Sensitive LiF TL Chps. Radiat. Prot. Dosim.
1992; 44: 291-192.
Santos, J. P. Fernades, A. C. Gonçalves, I. C. Marques, J. G. Carvalho, A. F. Santos, L.
Cardoso, J and Osvay, M. Photon and Fast Neutron Dosimetry Using Aluminium
Oxide Thermoluminescence Dosemeters. Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 2006; 120: 358-
360.

Proceedings of Third European IRPA Congress 2010 June 14−18, Helsinki, Finland