Candela-Juan, C., Vijande, J., Garcia-Martinez, T., Niatsetski, Y., Nauta, G., Schuurman, J., et al. (2015). Comparison and uncertainty evaluation of different calibration protocols and ionization chambers for low-energy surface brachytherapy dosimetry. Med. Phys., 42(8), 4954–4964.
Abstract: Purpose: A surface electronic brachytherapy (EBT) device is in fact an x-ray source collimated with specific applicators. Low-energy (<100 kVp) x-ray beam dosimetry faces several challenges that need to be addressed. A number of calibration protocols have been published for x-ray beam dosimetry. The media in which measurements are performed are the fundamental difference between them. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surface dose rate of a low-energy x-ray source with small field applicators using different calibration standards and different small-volume ionization chambers, comparing the values and uncertainties of each methodology. Methods: The surface dose rate of the EBT unit Esteya (Elekta Brachytherapy, The Netherlands), a 69.5 kVp x-ray source with applicators of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mm diameter, was evaluated using the AAPM TG-61 (based on air kerma) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) TRS-398 (based on absorbed dose to water) dosimetry protocols for low-energy photon beams. A plane parallel T34013 ionization chamber (PTW Freiburg, Germany) calibrated in terms of both absorbed dose to water and air kerma was used to compare the two dosimetry protocols. Another PTW chamber of the same model was used to evaluate the reproducibility between these chambers. Measurements were also performed with two different Exradin A20 (Standard Imaging, Inc., Middleton, WI) chambers calibrated in terms of air kerma. Results: Differences between surface dose rates measured in air and in water using the T34013 chamber range from 1.6% to 3.3%. No field size dependence has been observed. Differences are below 3.7% when measurements with the A20 and the T34013 chambers calibrated in air are compared. Estimated uncertainty (with coverage factor k = 1) for the T34013 chamber calibrated in water is 2.2%-2.4%, whereas it increases to 2.5% and 2.7% for the A20 and T34013 chambers calibrated in air, respectively. The output factors, measured with the PTW chambers, differ by less than 1.1% for any applicator size when compared to the output factors that were measured with the A20 chamber. Conclusions: Measurements using both dosimetric protocols are consistent, once the overall uncertainties are considered. There is also consistency between measurements performed with both chambers calibrated in air. Both the T34013 and A20 chambers have negligible stem effect. Any x-ray surface brachytherapy system, including Esteya, can be characterized using either one of these calibration protocols and ionization chambers. Having less correction factors, lower uncertainty, and based on measurements, performed in closer to clinical conditions, the TRS-398 protocol seems to be the preferred option.
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n_TOF Collaboration, Gunsing, F., Berthoumieux, E., Borella, A., Belgya, T., Szentmiklosi, L., et al. (2011). Neutron Capture on (209)Bi: Determination of the Production Ratio of (210m)Bi/(210g)Bi. J. Korean Phys. Soc., 59(2), 1670–1675.
Abstract: Neutron capture on (209)Bi produces either an isomeric state (210m)Bi with a half life of 3 x 106 years, or the ground state (210g)Bi which decays with a half life of 5 days to the alpha emitter (210)Po. Therefore the neutron capture cross section ratio (209)Bi(n,gamma)(210m)Bi/(210g)Bi plays an important role in predicting the short- and long-term radio-toxicity produced by (209)Bi under neutron irradiation. This ratio is dependent on the neutron energy. We have measured this ratio for cold neutrons at the cold neutron beam facility of the Budapest Neutron Centre by observing the population of the ground-and the metastable state using high resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy. The same technique has been used at the pulsed white neutron source GELINA of the IRMM, Geel in combination with the neutron time-of-flight technique. Results for the neutron-energy dependent branching ratio will be presented. In addition we performed simulations using a statistical decay code.
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Hornillos, M. B. G., Gorlychev, V., Caballero, R., Cortes, G., Poch, A., Pretel, C., et al. (2011). Monte Carlo Simulations for the Study of a Moderated Neutron Detector. J. Korean Phys. Soc., 59(2), 1573–1576.
Abstract: This work presents the Monte Carlo simulations performed with the MCNPX and GEANT4 codes for the design of a BEta deLayEd Neutron detector, BELEN-20. This detector will be used for the study of beta delayed neutron emission and consists of a block of polyethylene with dimensions 90 x 90 x 80 cm(3) and 20 cylindrical (3)He gas counters. The results of these simulations have been validated experimentally with a (252)Cf source in the laboratory at UPC, Barcelona. Also the first experiment with this detector has been carried out in November 2009 in JYFL, Finland. In this experiment the neutron emission probability after beta decay of the fission products (88)Br, (94,95)Rb, and (138)I has been measured; this data is still under analysis. Simulations with MCNPX and GEANT4 have been performed in order to obtain the efficiency of the BELEN-20 detector for each of the above nuclei using the neutron energy distribution corresponding to each nucleus.
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Mach, H., Lindroth, A., Ruchowska, E., Kvasil, J., Fogelberg, B., Gulda, K., et al. (2016). On the enhanced E1 transitions in the K=3/2 parity doublet band in Ra-223. Eur. Phys. J. A, 52(6), 172–10pp.
Abstract: We have applied the fast timing beta gamma gamma(t) technique to remeasure lifetimes of selected states in Ra-223 populated in the beta(-) decay of Fr-223. T-1/2 = 587(12) ps and 210(13) ps have been obtained for the 3/2(-) and 5/2(-) states at 50.1 and 79.7 keV, that are more accurate than the previous values of 630(70) ps and 166(55) ps, respectively. Our vertical bar D0 vertical bar value of 0.155(10) e.fm obtained for the K = 3/2 configuration together with the available values of vertical bar D0 vertical bar for the K = 1/2 and K = 5/2 parity doublet bands establish the configuration dependence of vertical bar D0 vertical bar at low spins in this nucleus. Results of theoretical calculations performed for Ra-223, using the quasiparticle-phonon model (QPM) with inclusion of the Coriolis coupling, reasonably well reproduce octupole correlations in this nucleus.
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Guerrero, C., Cano-Ott, D., Mendoza, E., Tain, J. L., Algora, A., Berthoumieux, E., et al. (2012). Monte Carlo simulation of the n_TOF Total Absorption Calorimeter. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 671, 108–117.
Abstract: The n_TOF Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC) is a 4 pi BaF2 segmented detector used at CERN for measuring neutron capture cross-sections of importance for the design of advanced nuclear reactors. This work presents the simulation code that has been developed in GEANT4 for the accurate determination of the detection efficiency of the TAC for neutron capture events. The code allows to calculate the efficiency of the TAC for every neutron capture state, as a function of energy, crystal multiplicity, and counting rate. The code includes all instrumental effects such as the single crystal detection threshold and energy resolution, finite size of the coincidence time window, and signal pile-up. The results from the simulation have been validated with experimental data for a large set of electromagnetic de-excitation patterns: beta-decay of well known calibration sources, neutron capture reactions in light nuclei with well known level schemes like Ti-nat, reference samples used in (n,gamma) measurements like Au-197 and experimental data from an actinide sample like Pu-240. The systematic uncertainty in the determination of the detection efficiency has been estimated for all the cases. As a representative example, the accuracy reached for the case of Au-197(n,gamma) ranges between 0.5% and 2%, depending on the experimental and analysis conditions. Such a value matches the high accuracy required for the nuclear cross-section data needed in advanced reactor design.
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