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At least 1,045 records · Page 58

Demonstration of a real-time interferometer as a bunch-length monitor in a high-current electron beam accelerator

A real-time interferometer (RTI) has been developed to monitor the bunch length of an electron beam in an accelerator. The RTI employs spatial autocorrelation, reflective optics, and a fast response pyro-detector array to obtain a real-time autocorrelation trace of the coherent radiation from an electron beam thus providing the possibility of online bunch-length diagnostics. A complete RTI system has been commissioned at the A0 photoinjector facility to measure sub-mm bunches at 13 MeV. Bunch length variation (FWHM) between 0.8 ps ({approx}0.24 mm) and 1.5 ps ({approx}0.45 mm) has been measured and compared with a Martin-Puplett interferometer and a streak camera. The comparisons show that RTI is a viable, complementary bunch length diagnostic for sub-mm electron bunches.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

A laboratory study of the diffuse reflectance spectra of frosts occurring on astronomical objects

Mechanical, optical, and operating properties of an experiment chamber are examined and possible sample contamination difficulty is explained. The mechanical and operational characteristics of this apparatus are well suited for the study of the reflectance spectra of frosts. The infrared energy available at the detector is low and steps to increase the energy and the responsivity of the detector were taken. The problem of a standard diffuse reflector which is useful in the far ultraviolet region is considered and it is suggested that bright gold be used as the standard.

Glaser, F. M.↗

Performance and materials aspects of Ge:Be photoconductors

Ge:Be photoconductors were developed for low photon background applications in the 30 to 50 MM wavelength region. These detectors provide higher responsivity and lower noise equivalent power (NEP) than the Ge:Ga detectors currently operating in this wavelength range. Beryllium doped single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method from a carbon susceptor under a vacuum of approx. one million torr. An optimum detective quantum efficiency of 46% at a background flux of 1.5 x 10 to the 8th power photons/second (7 x 10 to the 13th power W) was reported. Ge:Be detector performance is strongly influenced by the absolute concentrations and the concentration ratio of residual shallow donors and shallow acceptors.

Haegel, N. M.↗

Performance and materials aspects of Ge:Be photoconductors

Ge:Be photoconductors have been developed for low photon background applications in the 30 - 50 micron wavelength region. These detectors provide higher responsivity and lower noise equivalent power (NEP) than the Ge:Ga detectors currently operating in this wavelength range. Beryllium-doped single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method from a carbon susceptor under a vacuum of approximately 10 to the -6th torr. An optimum detective quantum efficiency of 46 percent at a background flux of 1.5 x 10 to the 8th photons/second (7 x 10 to the -13th W is reported. Ge:Be detector performance is strongly influenced by the absolute concentrations and the concentration ratio of residual shallow donors and shallow acceptors.

Haegel, N. M.↗

Exploring the Impact of Nuclear Data Uncertainties in Ultra-high Resolution Gamma Spectroscopy for Isotopic Analysis Using Approximate Bayesian Computation

High purity germanium (HPGe) currently provides the highest readily available resolution gamma detection for a broad range of radiation measurements, but microcalorimetry is a developing option that has considerably higher resolution even than HPGe. Superior microcalorimetry resolution offers the potential to better distinguish closely spaced X-rays and gamma-rays, a common challenge for the low energy spectral region near 100 keV from special nuclear materials, and the higher signal-to-background ratio also confers an advantage in detection limit. As microcalorimetry continues to develop, it is timely to assess the impact of uncertainties in detector and item response functions and in basic nuclear data, such as branching ratios and half-lives, used to interpret spectra in terms of the contributory radioactive isotopes. We illustrate that a new inference option known as approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) is effective and convenient both for isotopic inference and for uncertainty quantification for microcalorimetry. The ABC approach opens a pathway to new and more powerful implementations for practical applications than currently available.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Phenomenal improvement of external quantum efficiency, detectivity and responsivity of nitrogen doped graphene quantum dot decorated zinc oxide nanorod/polymer schottky junction UV detector

Highlights: • ZnO nanorods/conducting polymer Schottky junction UV detector was fabricated. • GQDs and NGQDs were attached with nanorods to improve the detector performance. • The photodetector demonstrated high EQE, detectivity and responsivity. • NGQDs sensitized nanorod based detectors showed superior performances. • NGQD sensitized device showed high photocurrent even at lower intensity of UV light. - Abstract: Photodetector properties of nitrogen doped graphene quantum dot (NGQD) sensitized ZnO nanorods/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) Schottky junction has been investigated. The photodetector demonstrated superior external quantum efficiency (EQE) (∼57681% at −1 V bias) at wavelength ∼340 nm, which is 4 times higher than graphene quantum dot (GQD) modified ZnO NRs based detector and 35 times higher than pristine ZnO NRs detector. NGQD modified detectors also showed higher responsivity (∼158 A/W), detectivity (8.7 × 10{sup 12} Hz{sup 1/2}/W) at 340 nm wavelength. The response and recovery times of the detector is very fast compared to GQD modified and pristine ZnO nanorod based detectors. Our UV detector also demonstrated higher photocurrent even at lower intensity range of incident light.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High density Schottky barrier IRCCD sensors for SWIR applications at intermediate temperature

Monolithic 32 x 64 and 64 x 1:128 palladium silicide (Pd2Si) interline transfer infrared charge coupled devices (IRCCDs) sensitive in the 1 to 3.5 micron spectral band were developed. This silicon imager exhibits a low response nonuniformity of typically 0.2 to 1.6% rms, and was operated in the temperature range between 40 to 140 K. Spectral response measurements of test Pd2Si p-type Si devices yield quantum efficiencies of 7.9% at 1.25 microns, 5.6% at 1.65 microns 2.2% at 2.22 microns. Improvement in quantum efficiency is expected by optimizing the different structural parameters of the Pd2Si detectors. The spectral response of the Pd2Si detectors fit a modified Fowler emission model. The measured photo-electric barrier height for the Pd2Si detectors is 0.34 eV and the measured quantum efficiency coefficient, C1, is 19%/eV. The dark current level of Pd2Si Schottky barrier focal plane arrays (FPAs) is sufficiently low to enable operation at intermediate temperatures at TV frame rates. Typical dark current level measured at 120 K on the FPA is 2 nA/sq cm. The operating temperature of the Pd2Si FPA is compatible with passive cooler performance. In addition, high density Pd2Si Schottky barrier FPAs are manufactured with high yield and therefore represent an economical approach to short wavelength IR imaging. A Pd2Si Schottky barrier image sensor for push-broom multispectral imaging in the 1.25, 1.65, and 2.22 micron bands is being studied. The sensor will have two line arrays (dual band capability) of 512 detectors each, with 30 micron center-to-center detector spacing. The device will be suitable for chip-to-chip abutment, thus providing the capability to produce large, multiple chip focal planes with contiguous, in-line sensors.

Elabd, H.↗

Ferroelectric Thin-Film Capacitors As Ultraviolet Detectors

Advantages include rapid response, solar blindness, and relative invulnerability to ionizing radiation. Ferroelectric capacitor made to function as photovoltaic detector of ultraviolet photons by making one of its electrodes semitransparent. Photovoltaic effect exploited more fully by making Schottky barrier at illuminated semitransparent-electrode/ferroelectric interface taller than Schottky barrier at other electrode/ferroelectric interface.

Thakoor, Sarita↗

SU-E-T-494: A MOSFET-Based In-Vivo Dosimetry System for MR Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (MR-IGRT)

Purpose: To determine if a MOSFET based in-vivo dosimetry system can be used for patients undergoing MR-IGRT. Methods: Standard and high sensitivity MOSFET detectors were used for in-field and out-of-field measurements respectively. The systems were benchmarked and calibrated against a calibrated ionization chamber on a standard 6 MV linear accelerator, and then on the MR-IGRT system. Known doses were delivered to a water phantom with the MOSFETs placed between the top of the phantom and underneath a layer of bolus and water equivalent plastic, using a 6 MV beam and a {sup 6} {sup 0}Co MR-IGRT beam. The latter was performed with and without real-time MRI-guidance during the beam delivery (MRIGRT). Results: The in-field dosimeter response was linear from 50-500 cGy with little evidence of energy dependence or change in response due to the permanent static magnetic field of the MR-IGRT system. The detector response varied by < 2% between 6 MV and {sup 6} {sup 0}Co without image guided delivery. The out-of-field dosimeter response was linear from 1-50 cGy; however the detectors did display dose rate and energy dependence as the response varied by > 20% depending on distance from isocenter used during calibration. Therefore, to use the dosimeters for out-of-field measurements they must be calibrated out-of-field. Regardless of the detector orientation in the coronal plan, the response of the MOSFETs during MRI-guided delivery increased by 5% due to induced currents from the dynamic magnetic field present with image guidance. During the MRI-guided delivery, some loss in image quality was seen when the MOSFETs were present in the imaging plane. This was mitigated by using a handheld reader without a transmitting wireless receiver. Conclusion: A MOSFET-based in-vivo dosimetry system can be used for patients receiving MR-IGRT; however the change in detector response due to the dynamic magnetic field requires a special calibration.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Alpha particle response study of polycrstalline diamond radiation detector

Chemical vapor deposition has opened the possibility to grow high purity synthetic diamond at relatively low cost. This has opened up uses of diamond based detectors for wide range of applications. These detectors are most suitable for harsh environments where standard semiconductor detectors cannot work. In this paper, we present the fabrication details and performance study of polycrystalline diamond based radiation detector. Effect of different operating parameters such as bias voltage and shaping time for charge collection on the performance of detector has been studied.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Quantification of LEU Holdup using gamma ray imaging and inverse transport solver

Holdup is the residual amount of special nuclear material (SNM) remaining in a processing facility after the bulk materials have been cleaned out. In commercial uranium processing facilities, quantification of holdup is a major challenge because of the highly variable shapes and sizes of the deposits. Any method that attempts to generalize and calibrate deposit shapes in order to quantify holdup will be prone to high uncertainties. Uncertainties on the order of ±50% are typical in holdup results. In international safeguards applications, a ±50% uncertainty can result in a large amount of material unaccounted for (MUF) thereby increasing the difficulty of detecting material diversion and facility misuse. An imaging-based methodology has been developed with the objective of significantly reducing this uncertainty by using the true deposit shape, instead of relying on oversimplified geometric assumptions. The project is a collaboration between ORNL, Y-12, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. Uranium sources of known masses were measured using the Germanium Gamma-ray Imager (GeGI), a high-resolution imaging spectrometer, creating a pixelated map for each spectral bin. Two different gamma imaging methods are employed in this work: coded aperture imaging and Compton imaging. A validated MonteCarlo model of the detector has been developed using the GEANT4 code for determining the intrinsic response of the detector, its enclosure, and the coded aperture mask. An inverse transport solver based on the Markov Chain Monte-Carlo approach known as Differential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM) is employed to use the measurement data from the image pixels (coded aperture or Compton) to solve for the mass of 235 U in the deposit. A reliable method based on the DREAM solver has been developed to flag the infinite thickness condition of a uranium deposit. The project team is working towards improving the image reconstruction for Compton imaging so that a better localization of the source can be achieved. Besides treating the coded aperture and Compton imaging methods independently, the project is also evaluating a combined method that uses the Compton scatter data from a coded aperture measurement. GEANT4 simulations are being performed to evaluate the combined approach. The impact on the DREAM optimization as the source thickness progressively approaches infinite thickness is being evaluated. A number of uranium sources available at ORNL have been measured, and the DREAM results have been tested and validated for the coded aperture imaging. A similar effort will be carried out to validate the Compton based method once the development of algorithms for better localization are complete. The imaging based quantification is very amenable to unattended monitoring of holdup accumulation at key measurement points. A proof of concept measurement has been completed to demonstrate this capability The current work used the high energy resolution imager GeGI. However, the approach and methodologies are applicable to other imagers such as the cadmium zin telluride (CZT) based imager manufactured by H3D, Inc.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Increased response of the reversal electron attachment detector and modeling of ion space-charge effects

Design and sensitivity tests of a modified version of the so-called reversal electron attachment detector (READ) are presented. The new version uses a spherical cathode capable of emitting higher electron currents. As in the original READ (which used a planar emitter) electrons are focused into an electrostatic mirror which reverses their trajectories. In the reversal region electrons have essentially zero energy and attach to target molecules to form negative ions. The electron gun lens system has been modified using a field and trajectory code with space charge included. Electron trajectories have been calculated for 1-mA current focused into a reversal region of 3.5-mm diameter. The detection limit of the apparatus is approximately 25 times lower than for the original READ. Nonlinearity in the measured signal vs electron current is described by a model in which a spherical ball of ions expands outward with velocity determined by the space-charge force and the initial velocity of ion formation.

Boumsellek, S.↗

Remote Sensing Laboratory - RSL

One of the primary resources supporting homeland security is the Remote Sensing Laboratory, or RSL. The Laboratory creates advanced technologies for emergency response operations, radiological incident response, and other remote sensing activities. RSL emergency response teams are on call 24-hours a day, and maintain the capability to deploy domestically and internationally in response to threats involving the loss, theft, or release of nuclear or radioactive material. Such incidents might include Nuclear Power Plant accidents, terrorist incidents involving nuclear or radiological materials, NASA launches, and transportation accidents involving nuclear materials. Working with the US Department of Homeland Security, RSL personnel equip, maintain, and conduct training on the mobile detection deployment unit, to provide nuclear radiological security at major national events such as the super bowl, the Indianapolis 500, New Year's Eve celebrations, presidential inaugurations, international meetings and conferences, just about any event where large numbers of people will gather.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗