Design and Test of an Accelerator Driven Neutron Activator at the JRC Cyclotron of the European Commission

An improved design concept of the Adiabatic Resonance Crossing (ARC) method is currently under study at the Scanditronix MC40 Cyclotron of the Joint Research Centre (Ispra) under a EUREKA funded project (INBARCA). Its aim is the efficient use of ion-beam generated neutrons for the production of radioactive nanoparticles for brachytherapy. MCNPX and Fluka calculations were carried out to optimise the design of the ARC activator which is based on a hybrid approach coupling neutron moderator and graphite reflector that creates an effective thermal-epithermal neutron flux in the lead buffer to optimise the activation. The activator has been constructed and tested on a dedicated beamline at JRC Ispra under various experimental conditions regarding cyclotron beam energy and material to be activated. The first irradiation tests have shown the expected activation yields using this new concept. Experimental results on the activation of pure Au, Ni, Ag, Al and Mo foils, used to characterise the neutron spectrum and flux, are presented and compared to calculated values, and to the results of C. Rubbia (TARC experiment) and of P. Froment and I. Tilquin (Louvain la Neuve).

COTOGNO Giulio;  GIBSON Peter;  HOLZWARTH Uwe;  SIMONELLI Federica;  BUONO S.;  MACIOCCO L.;  BURGIO N.;  ROCCA R.;  MERCURIO G.; 

ABBAS Kamel; 

2008-09-19

Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare

JRC40174

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC40174,