Measurement of double-differential neutron yields for iron, lead, and bismuth induced by 107-MeV protons for research and development of accelerator-driven systems

Iwamoto, Hiroki; Nakano, Keita; Meigo, Shinichiro; Satoh, Daiki; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Sugihara, Kenta*; Nishio, Katsuhisa; Ishi, Yoshihiro*; Uesugi, Tomonori*; Kuriyama, Yasutoshi*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 284, p.01023_1 - 01023_4, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202328401023

For accurate prediction of neutronic characteristics for accelerator-driven systems (ADS) and a source term of spallation neutrons for reactor physics experiments for the ADS at Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA), we have launched an experimental program to measure nuclear data on ADS using the Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (FFAG) accelerator at Kyoto University. As part of this program, the proton-induced double-differential thick-target neutron-yields (TTNYs) and cross-sections (DDXs) for iron, lead, and bismuth have been measured with the time-of-flight (TOF) method. For each measurement, the target was installed in a vacuum chamber on the beamline and bombarded with 107-MeV proton beams accelerated from the FFAG accelerator. Neutrons produced from the targets were detected with stacked, small-sized neutron detectors for several angles from the incident beam direction. The TOF spectra were obtained from the detected signals and the FFAG kicker magnet's logic signals, where gamma-ray events were eliminated by pulse shape discrimination. Finally, the TTNYs and DDXs were obtained from the TOF spectra by relativistic kinematics. The measured TTNYs and DDXs were compared with calculations by the Monte Carlo transport code PHITS with its default physics model of INCL version 4.6 combined with GEM and those with the JENDL-4.0/HE nuclear data library.

Measurement of 107-MeV proton-induced double-differential thick target neutron yields for Fe, Pb, and Bi using a fixed-field alternating gradient accelerator at Kyoto University

Iwamoto, Hiroki; Nakano, Keita; Meigo, Shinichiro; Satoh, Daiki; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Sugihara, Kenta; Nishio, Katsuhisa; Ishi, Yoshihiro*; Uesugi, Tomonori*; Kuriyama, Yasutoshi*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(4), p.435 - 449, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2115423

Double-differential thick target neutron yields (TTNYs) for Fe, Pb, and Bi targets induced by 107-MeV protons were measured using the fixed-field alternating gradient accelerator at Kyoto University for research and development of accelerator-driven systems (ADSs) and fundamental ADS reactor physics research at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). Note that TTNYs were obtained with the time-of-flight method using a neutron detector system comprising eight neutron detectors; each detector has a small NE213 liquid organic scintillator and photomultiplier tube. The TTNYs obtained were compared with calculation results using Monte Carlo-based spallation models (i.e., INCL4.6/GEM, Bertini/GEM, JQMD/GEM, and JQMD/SMM/GEM) and the evaluated high-energy nuclear data library, i.e., JENDL-4.0/HE, implemented in the particle and heavy iontransport code system (PHITS). All models, including JENDL-4.0/HE, failed to predict high-energy peaks at a detector angle of 5. Comparing the energy- and angle-integrated spallation neutron yields at energies of 20 MeV estimated using the measured TTNYs and the PHITS indicated that INCL4.6/GEM would be suitable for the Monte Carlo transport simulation of ADS reactor physics experiments at the KUCA.

Restoration of oxygen vacancies on an anatase TiO(001) surface with supersonic seeded oxygen molecular beam

Katsube, Daiki*; Ono, Shinya*; Inami, Eiichi*; Yoshigoe, Akitaka; Abe, Masayuki*

Vacuum and Surface Science, 65(11), p.526 - 530, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1380/vss.65.526

The oxidation of oxygen vacancies at the surface of anatase TiO (001) was investigated by synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy and supersonic O beam (SSMB). The oxygen vacancies at the top surface and subsurface could be eliminated by the supply of hyperthermal oxygen molecules. Oxygen vacancies are present on the surface of anatase TiO(001) when it is untreated before transfer to a vacuum chamber. These vacancies, which are stable in the ambient condition, could also be effectively eliminated by using oxygen SSMB. This result is promising as a surface processing for various functional oxides.

Impact of heterometallic cooperativity of iron and copper active sites on electrocatalytic oxygen reduction kinetics

Kato, Masaru*; Fujibayashi, Natsuki*; Abe, Daiki*; Matsubara, Naohiro*; Yasuda, Satoshi; Yagi, Ichizo*

ACS Catalysis, 11(4), p.2356 - 2365, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.0c04753

Fe-N-C oxygen reduction reaction catalyst is a key materials in polymer electrolyte fuel cell. However, the many Fe-N-C electrocatalysts still suffer from product selectivity due to the production of HO as the byproduct. In this work, we synthesized an ORR electrocatalyst of Cu, Fe, and N-doped carbon nanotubes. This heterobimetallic catalyst showed the selective four electron reduction of O to HO. Kinetic analysis of the electrocatalytic ORR and hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction in acidic media revealed that Cu, Fe-N-doped catalyst showed two orders of magnitude higher rate constants for the direct four electron reduction of O to HO than those for the two electron reduction of O to HO, whereas a monometallic Fe-N-doped catalyst showed the same order of magnitude, indicating that the heterometallic cooperativity had a drastic impact on the ORR kinetics.

Study of the Li() reaction for the development of accelerator-based neutron sources

Watanabe, Yukinobu*; Sadamatsu, Hiroki*; Araki, Shohei*; Nakano, Keita*; Kawase, Shoichiro*; Kin, Tadahiro*; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Satoh, Daiki; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 239, p.20012_1 - 20012_4, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202023920012

Accelerator-based neutron sources induced by deuteron beams are attractive for study of nuclear transmutation of radioactive waste as well as radiation damage for fusion reactor materials. In the present work, we have carried out a Double Differential cross section (DDX) measurement for Li at 200 MeV in the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. A deuteron beam accelerated to 200 MeV was transported to the neutron experimental hall and focused on a thin Li target. Emitted neutrons from the target were detected by two different-size EJ301 liquid organic scintillators located at two distances of 7 m and 20 m, respectively. The neutron DDXs were measured at six angles from 0 to 25). The neutron detection efficiencies of the detectors were calculated by SCINFUL-QMD code. We will present the results of the present DDX measurement and compare them with theoretical model calculations with DEURACS and PHITS.

Establishment of a novel detection system for measuring primary knock-on atoms

Tsai, P.-E.; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Satoh, Daiki; Abe, Shinichiro; Ito, Masatoshi*; Watabe, Hiroshi*

Proceedings of 2017 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC 2017) (Internet), 3 Pages, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSSMIC.2017.8532975

The energy spectra of primary knock-on atoms (PKAs) are essential for radiation damage assessment in design of accelerator facilities. However up to date the experimental data are still limited, due to the poor mass resolution and the high measurement threshold energies in the conventional setup of nuclear physics experiments using solid state detectors, which are typically above a few MeV/nucleon. In this study, a novel detection system consisting of two time detectors and one dE-E energy detector is proposed and being constructed to measure the PKA spectra. The system and detector design was based on Monte Carlo simulations by using the PHITS code. The PHITS simulations show that the system is able to distinguish the PKA isotopes above 0.2-0.3 MeV/nucleon for A=2030 amu; the PKA mass identification thresholds decrease to 0.1 MeV/nucleon for PKAs lighter than 20 amu. The detection system will be tested in the summer of 2017, and the test results will be presented at the conference.

Neutron production in deuteron-induced reactions on Li, Be, and C at an incident energy of 102 MeV

Araki, Shohei*; Watanabe, Yukinobu*; Kitajima, Mizuki*; Sadamatsu, Hiroki*; Nakano, Keita*; Kin, Tadahiro*; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Satoh, Daiki; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 146, p.11027_1 - 11027_4, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714611027

In recently years, deuteron-induced reaction is considered to produce the neutron source for application fields such as radiation damage fusion materials and boron neutron capture therapy. However, as the experimental data are not sufficient at incident energies above 60 MeV, the theoretical models are not validated. Therefore, we measured the double differential cross sections (DDXs) for Li, Be and C at 100 MeV at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics in Osaka University. The DDXs were measured at 6 angles (025 and neutron energy was determined by a time of flight method. Three different-size NE213 liquid organic scintillators located at a distance of 7 m, 24 m and 74 m respectively were adopted as neutron detectors. In the measured DDXs, a broad peak due to deuteron breakup process was observed at approximately half of the deuteron incident energy. The DDXs calculated by PHITS did not reproduce the experimental ones due to lack of theoretical model.

Measurement of double differential (d,xn) cross sections for carbon at an incident energy of 100 MeV

Araki, Shohei*; Watanabe, Yukinobu*; Kitajima, Mizuki*; Sadamatsu, Hiroki*; Nakano, Keita*; Kin, Tadahiro*; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Satoh, Daiki; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; et al.

JAEA-Conf 2016-004, p.159 - 164, 2016/09

https://doi.org/10.11484/jaea-conf-2016-004

Neutron production data from materials such as Li, Be and C bombarded by deuteron are required for design such as the facility of radiation damage for fusion materials and boron neutron capture therapy. However, there is little measurement of double differential neutron production cross sections (DDXs). Therefore, we have planned a series of DDXs measurements at incident energies more than 100 MeV in the Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University. The experiment was carried out with a carbon target at the neutron Time of Flight (TOF) course in RCNP. Emitted neutrons were detected by three different-size NE213 liquid organic scintillators (5.08 cm, 12.7 cm and 25.4 cm in dimeter and thickness) located at a distance of 7 m, 24 m and 74 m respectively. The neutron detection efficiencies of the detectors were calculated by SCINFUL-QMD code. It turned out that the calculation data fr carbon does not reproduce the experimental data satisfactorily well.

Characterization of high-energy quasi-monoenergetic neutron energy spectra and ambient dose equivalents of 80-389 MeV Li(p,n) reactions using a time-of-flight method

Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Satoh, Daiki; Araki, Shohei*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Masuda, Akihiko*; Matsumoto, Tetsuro*; Nakao, Noriaki*; Shima, Tatsushi*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 804, p.50 - 58, 2015/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.09.045

We have measured neutron energy spectra for the 80, 100 and 296 MeV proton incident reactions at the RCNP cyclotron facility using time-of-flight method. The neutron energy spectrum consisted of the peak and continuum parts and the peak intensity was 0.9-1.1 10 neutrons/sr/C. The ratio of peak intensity of the spectrum to the total intensity was between 0.38 and 0.48. To consider the correction required to derive a response in the peak region from the measured total response for neutron monitors, we proposed the subtraction method using energy spectra between 0 and 25. The normalizing factor k against the 25 neutron fluence that equalizes the 0 neutron fluence in the continuum region was from 0.74 to 1.02. With our previous results, we have obtained data for characterization of monoenergetic neutron field for the Li(p,n) reaction with 80389 MeV protons at the RCNP cyclotron facility.

Monopole-driven shell evolution below the doubly magic nucleus Sn explored with the long-lived isomer in Pd

Watanabe, H.*; Lorusso, G.*; Nishimura, Shunji*; Otsuka, T.*; Ogawa, K.*; Xu, Z. Y.*; Sumikama, Toshiyuki*; Sderstrm, P.-A.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Li, Z.*; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 113(4), p.042502_1 - 042502_6, 2014/07

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.042502