International Key Comparison of Neutron Fluence Measurements in Mono-energetic Neutron Fields - CCRI(III)-K10

Abstract

CCRI Section III (neutron measurements) conducted a unique key comparison of neutron fluence measurements in mono-energetic neutron fields. In contrast to former comparisons, here the fluence measurements were performed with the participants' instruments in the same neutron fields at the PTB accelerator facility. Seven laboratories¿the CIAE (China), IRMM (EC), NMIJ (Japan), NIST (USA), NPL (UK), PTB (Germany) and the VNIIM (Russia)¿employed their primary standard reference methods or transfer instruments carefully calibrated against their primary standards, to determine the fluence of 0.144 MeV, 1.2 MeV, 5.0 MeV and 14.8 MeV neutrons and reported calibration coefficients for a selected neutron monitor and each neutron energy with a detailed uncertainty budget for the measurements. The key comparison reference values (KCRV) were finally evaluated as the weighted mean values of the neutron fluence at 1 m distance from the target in vacuum per neutron monitor count. The uncertainties of each KCRV amounted to about 1%. The degree of equivalence (DoE), defined as the deviation of the result reported by the laboratories for each energy from the corresponding KCRV, and the associated expanded uncertainty are also reported. The deviations between the results of two laboratories each with the corresponding expanded uncertainties complete the documentation of the degrees of equivalence.