Development of a GdSiO (GPS) scintillator-based alpha imaging detector for rapid plutonium detection in high-radon environments

Morishita, Yuki; Izaki, Kenji; Kaneko, Junichi*; Yamamoto, Seiichi*; Higuchi, Mikio*; Torii, Tatsuo

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 67(10), p.2203 - 2208, 2020/10

https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2020.3014997

We developed a GdSiO (GPS) scintillator-based alpha imaging detector and demonstrated its effectiveness by evaluating actual Pu particle and Rn progeny. The GPS scintillator plate was prepared by a sintering method. The outer dimensions of the GPS scintillator plate were 5 5 cm, and the scintillator layer was approximately 50 m on a 3-mm-thick high-transparency glass. The plate was optically coupled to a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube with silicone grease. The developed imaging detector exhibited good uniformity. Pu particle activities were accurately evaluated at 14 different positions, and the difference in activity was within 6%. Radon-222 (Rn) progeny counts were reduced by 65.3% by applying an energy window. Although the Pu/Rn progeny activity ratio was 1/51, the Pu particle was successfully identified among Rn progeny within the 5 min-measurement time. The imaging detector has an excellent ability for detecting Pu among Rn progeny. Thus, this detector is useful for alpha contamination monitoring in high-radon-background environments.

Optimization of thickness of GAGG scintillator for detecting an alpha particle emitter in a field of high beta and gamma background

Morishita, Yuki; Yamamoto, Seiichi*; Izaki, Kenji; Kaneko, Junichi*; Hoshi, Katsuya; Torii, Tatsuo

Radiation Measurements, 112, p.1 - 5, 2018/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2018.02.003

To detect plutonium isotopes (Pu, Pu, and Pu) in a field of high beta and background, an alpha particle detector with low beta and -ray sensitivity is required. Therefore, we optimized the thickness of the GAGG scintillator for alpha particle detection in a field of high beta and background. We prepared three GAGG scintillators with thicknesses of 0.05 mm, 0.07 mm, and 0.1 mm. Each of the GAGG scintillators was coupled optically to the SiPM array, which was used as the photodetector. Alpha, beta, and rays were irradiated onto the developed alpha particle detector, and their spectra were obtained. All GAGG scintillators used in this study were not sensitive to rays with a dose rate of 1 mSv/h. The beta count of the 0.05-mm-thick GAGG was only 1/100 that of the 0.1-mm-thick GAGG. Therefore, the 0.05-mm-thick GAGG scintillator is promising from the viewpoint of detecting plutonium contamination in a field with high beta and background.

Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, 2; Neutron scattering instruments

Nakajima, Kenji; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Ito, Shinichi*; Abe, Jun*; Aizawa, Kazuya; Aoki, Hiroyuki; Endo, Hitoshi*; Fujita, Masaki*; Funakoshi, Kenichi*; Gong, W.*; et al.

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 1(3), p.9_1 - 9_59, 2017/12

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs1030009

The neutron instruments suite, installed at the spallation neutron source of the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), is reviewed. MLF has 23 neutron beam ports and 21 instruments are in operation for user programs or are under commissioning. A unique and challenging instrumental suite in MLF has been realized via combination of a high-performance neutron source, optimized for neutron scattering, and unique instruments using cutting-edge technologies. All instruments are/will serve in world-leading investigations in a broad range of fields, from fundamental physics to industrial applications. In this review, overviews, characteristic features, and typical applications of the individual instruments are mentioned.

Charge-collection efficiency of single-crystal CVD diamond detector for low-energy charged particles with energies ranging from 100 keV to 2 MeV

Sato, Yuki; Murakami, Hiroyuki*; Shimaoka, Takehiro*; Tsubota, Masakatsu*; Kaneko, Junichi*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 834, p.218 - 222, 2016/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2016.08.020

Charge-collection efficiency and long-term stability of single-crystal CVD diamond detector under different carrier-drift conditions

Sato, Yuki; Murakami, Hiroyuki*; Shimaoka, Takehiro*; Tsubota, Masakatsu*; Kaneko, Junichi*

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 55(4), p.046401_1 - 046401_5, 2016/04

https://doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.55.046401

We investigated the performance of a charged particle detector fabricated using single-crystal diamond grown by chemical vapor deposition. The detector was able to identify four different Am -particle energies (5.389, 5.443, 5.486, and 5.545 MeV) because of its superior intrinsic energy resolution of 0.4% (full width at half maximum). The charge collection efficiency inside the diamond crystal was 98% for both electrons and holes. The diamond detector also exhibited no significant degradation in terms of pulse height spectra and energy resolution during operation for more than 100 h in the case of mainly electron drift inside the diamond crystal. In contrast, the shapes of the pulse height spectra measured under hole drift condition deteriorated due to the polarization phenomenon.

Development of a Si-PM based alpha camera for plutonium detection in nuclear fuel facilities

Morishita, Yuki; Yamamoto, Seiichi*; Izaki, Kenji; Kaneko, Junichi*; Toi, Kohei*; Tsubota, Yoichi*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 747, p.81 - 86, 2014/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2013.12.052

Alpha particles are monitored for detecting nuclear fuel material (i.e., plutonium and uranium) at nuclear fuel facilities. In this study, we developed a new alpha-particle imaging system by combining an Si-PM array, which is insensitive to noise, with a Ce-doped GdAlGaO (GAGG) scintillator, and evaluated our developed system's fundamental performance. The scintillator was 0.1-mm thick, and the light guide was 3.0 mm thick. An Am source was used for all the measurements. We evaluated the spatial resolution by taking an image of a resolution chart. A 1.6 lp/mm slit was clearly resolved, and the spatial resolution was estimated to be less than 0.6-mm FWHM. The energy resolution was 13% FWHM. A slight distortion was observed in the image, and the uniformity near its center was within 24%. We conclude that our developed alpha-particle imaging system is promising for plutonium detection at nuclear fuel facilities.

Post irradiation examination analyses with a continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP for long-lived fission products in LWR spent fuels

Okumura, Keisuke; Asai, Shiho; Hanzawa, Yukiko; Suzuki, Hideya; Toshimitsu, Masaaki; Inagawa, Jun; Katakura, Junichi; Shinohara, Nobuo; Kaneko, Satoru*; Suzuki, Kensuke*

Proceedings of Joint International Conference of 7th Supercomputing in Nuclear Application and 3rd Monte Carlo (SNA + MC 2010) (USB Flash Drive), 5 Pages, 2010/10

For accurate inventory estimation of long-lived fission products in LWR spent fuels, a new burn-up chain model and decay data based on the latest nuclear data were developed for MVP-BURN. They were applied to three post irradiation examinations including inventory measurements of Se, Tc, Sn and Cs. One of them is new measurements performed by JAEA. From the PIE analyses, it is found that the new measurements by JAEA are consistent with the other PIE data obtained by different laboratory with different techniques. It is also confirmed that the present calculation results show good agreements with experimental ones for Se and Cs within about 10%. In contrast, amounts of Tc and Sn are overestimated by about up to 50%. These discrepancies are likely due to the effect of insoluble residue in the measurements and/or errors of fission yields in the analyses.

In-beam -ray spectroscopy of neutron-rich nuclei in the uranium region through the heavy-ion transfer reaction

Ishii, Tetsuro; Makii, Hiroyuki; Asai, Masato; Koura, Hiroyuki; Shigematsu, Soichiro*; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Toyoshima, Atsushi; Matsuda, Makoto; Makishima, Akiyasu*; Shizuma, Toshiyuki; et al.

Nuclear Physics A, 805(1-4), p.257 - 259, 2008/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2008.02.090

no abstracts in English

Measurement of internal strain in materials using high energy white X-ray at SPring-8

Shibano, Junichi*; Shobu, Takahisa; Suzuki, Kenji*; Kiriyama, Koji; Kajiwara, Kentaro*; Kaneko, Hiroshi; Kobayashi, Michiaki*

Materials Science Forum, 571-572, p.267 - 270, 2008/00

Extended steady-state and high-beta regimes of net-current free heliotron plasmas in the Large Helical Device

Motojima, Osamu*; Yamada, Hiroshi*; Komori, Akio*; Oyabu, Nobuyoshi*; Muto, Takashi*; Kaneko, Osamu*; Kawahata, Kazuo*; Mito, Toshiyuki*; Ida, Katsumi*; Imagawa, Shinsaku*; et al.

Nuclear Fusion, 47(10), p.S668 - S676, 2007/10

https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/47/10/S15

The performance of net-current free heliotron plasmas has been developed by findings of innovative operational scenarios in conjunction with an upgrade of the heating power and the pumping/fuelling capability in the Large Helical Device (LHD). Consequently, the operational regime has been extended, in particular, with regard to high density, long pulse length and high beta. Diversified studies in LHD have elucidated the advantages of net-current free heliotron plasmas. In particular, an internal diffusion barrier (IDB) by a combination of efficient pumping of the local island divertor function and core fuelling by pellet injection has realized a super dense core as high as 510 m, which stimulates an attractive super dense core reactor. Achievements of a volume averaged beta of 4.5% and a discharge duration of 54 min with a total input energy of 1.6 GJ (490 kW on average) are also highlighted. The progress of LHD experiments in these two years is overviewed by highlighting IDB, high-beta and long pulse.