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Ogawa, Tatsuhiko
Annals of Nuclear Energy, 216, p.111256_1 - 111256_12, 2025/06
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Nuclear Science & Technology)A novel robust method has been developed to simulate the performance of composite neutron sources composed of an alpha-emitting actinide and a light nucleus with low neutron separation energy. This method is based on the JENDL-5 cross-section data library and the Monte-Carlo radiation transport code PHITS. In contrast to previously devised methods, this approach can predict various quantities of the sources, such as actinide grain size dependence, absolute neutron emission intensity, energy spectra of neutrons and parasitic photons, neutron multiplicity, and time structure, with little approximation. The accurate calculation of stopping power of alpha rays in actinide grains and light elements, as well as the use of (
,n) reaction evaluated cross sections, which is one of the unique features of PHITS Ver.3.34 and its later versions, are the essences of the method. This method allows for the calculation of quantities important for practical applications, such as detection signal frequency, coincidence event rate, and the impact of parasitic gamma-rays.
Matsuya, Yusuke; Yoshii, Yuji*; Kusumoto, Tamon*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Onishi, Seiki*; Hirata, Yuho; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Kai, Takeshi
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 27(14), p.6887 - 6898, 2025/04
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Chemistry, Physical)Radicals by water radiolysis play an important role in evaluating radiation-induced biological effects, such as DNA damage induction, chromosomal aberrations, and carcinogenesis. In the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS), a track-structure simulation mode enabling the estimation of each atomic interactions in water and a chemical simulation code (PHITS-Chem) dedicated to electron beams that can simulate radical dynamics have been developed in our previous study. Here, we developed the PHITS-Chem code applicable to any ion species, considering a space partitioning method to detect radical reactions more efficiently and the 4D visualization function. The updated PHITS-Chem code was verified by comparing the simulated G values of proton beams, particle beams, and carbon ion beams to the corresponding values in the literature. We succeeded in intuitively evaluating the diffusion dynamics of radicals using the PHITS 3D drawing software, PHIG-3D. The time to calculate the G values was reduced (e.g., about 28 times faster) while maintaining its calculation accuracy. The developed PHITS-Chem code is expected to contribute to precise and intuitive understanding of the biological effects induced by radicals in ion-beam radiotherapy.
Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Hirata, Yuho; Matsuya, Yusuke; Kai, Takeshi; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Furuta, Takuya; Abe, Shinichiro; Matsuda, Norihiro; et al.
EPJ Nuclear Sciences & Technologies (Internet), 10, p.13_1 - 13_8, 2024/11
The latest updates on PHITS, a versatile radiation transport code, focusing specifically on track-structure models are presented. Track structure calculations are methods used to simulate the movement of charged particles while explicitly considering each atomic reaction. Initially developed for radiation biology, these calculation methods aimed to analyze the radiation-induced damage to DNA and chromosomes. Several track-structure calculation models, including PHITS-ETS, PHITS-ETS for Si, PHITS-KURBUC, ETSART, and ITSART, have been developed and implemented to PHITS. These models allow users to study the behavior of various particles at the nano-scale across a wide range of materials. Furthermore, potential applications of track-structure calculations have also been proposed so far. This collection of track-structure calculation models, which encompasses diverse conditions, opens up new avenues for research in the field of radiation effects.
Costantini, J.-M.*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko
Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 8(3), p.20_1 - 20_16, 2024/08
A novel Coulomb spike concept is applied to the radiation damage induced in LiF and SiO
with about the same mass density (
2.65 g cm
) by 
Ni and 
Kr ions of 1.0-MeV/u energy for about the same electronic energy loss (10 MeV/um). The distribution of ionizations and electrostatic energy gained in the electric field by the ionized atoms is computed with the PHITS code for both targets. Further, the atomic collision cascades induced by these low energy hot ions of about 500 eV are simulated with the SRIM2013 code. It is found that melting is reached in a small volume for SiO due to the energy deposition in the subthreshold events of nuclear collisions induced by the Si and O ions. For LiF, the phonon contribution to the stopping power of the lighter Li and F ions is not sufficient to induce melting, even though the melting temperature is lower than for SiO. The formation of amorphous domains in SiO is likely after fast quenching of the small molten pockets, whereas only point defects may be formed in LiF.
Meleshenkovskii, I.*; Van den Brandt, K.*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Datema, C.*; Mauerhofer, E.*
European Physical Journal Plus (Internet), 139, p.565_1 - 565_9, 2024/07
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Physics, Multidisciplinary)Fast neutron inelastic scattering is a promising non-destructive assay technique for various analytical applications. As an active neutron interrogation technique, its performance is a function of various different factors and parameters that require optimization. Monte Carlo simulation codes are indispensable for such tasks. However, the internal simulation routines implemented in such codes can rely on different physical models that can yield discrepancies in the simulation results. In this work we conduct an intercomparison of PHITS and Geant4 codes performance in application to fast neutron inelastic scattering simulations. The goal of this paper is twofold. First, we explain the differences in code configuration with respect to gamma and neutron transport, as well as internal simulation routines. Second, we conduct a performance assessment of the two codes using two different measurement configurations. One configuration consisted of a source of gamma-rays in a broad energy range (100 keV - 9000 keV) and a CeBr
detector. The other configuration consisted of a monoenergetic 2.5 MeV fast neutron source, Fe, Nd, Dy, B targets and a CeBr detector. Selected simulation configurations were chosen with a goal to compare the performance differences in neutron energy distribution, produced prompt gamma-rays and energy deposition in CeBr detector between the two codes. Results of our study reveal a good coherence of both codes performance in the application of fast neutron inelastic scattering simulations. The simulation geometries and observed differences are described in detail.
Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Iwamoto, Yosuke
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 549, p.165255_1 - 165255_4, 2024/04
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：58.81(Instruments & Instrumentation)Atomic defect is one of the critical factors that determines the irradiation effects in materials. The atoms are recoiled by the impulse of incoming radiation, which changes the mechanical, electrical and chemical properties of the target materials. Methods to calculate atomic displacement based on nuclear reaction cross sections and Rutherford scattering cross sections were proposed but they were dedicated to calculation of the defect density in macroscopic scale whereas some phenomena are attributed to the topological arrangements of defects in microscopic scale. Application of a track-structure calculation model, ITSART implemented to a general-purpose radiation transport code PHITS for calculation of the topological arrangement of radiation-induced defects is proposed in this study. To verify the defect production calculated by ITSART, DPA (Displacement Per Atom) cross section in Cu was calculated and compared with literature data. The agreement indicates the accuracy of ITSART for calculating atomic displacement. By using the same methodology to a smaller volume, the defects in SiO exposed to 600 MeV proton beam was calculated. PHITS users can make use of the outputs by forwarding them to other tools, such as molecular dynamics codes, to analyse the further evolution of the defects.
Hirata, Yuho; Kai, Takeshi; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Matsuya, Yusuke; Sato, Tatsuhiko
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 547, p.165183_1 - 165183_7, 2024/02
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Instruments & Instrumentation)The luminescence efficiency of the phosphors for swift ions is known to decrease because of the quenching effects. To obtain the precise dose distributions using phosphor detectors, understanding the mechanisms of quenching effects is mandatory. Here, we developed a new model for estimating the luminescence intensity of phosphors based on the track-structure modes for arbitrary materials implemented in PHITS. The developed model enabled the simulation of the quenching effects of the BaFBr detector and was verified by comparing the results to the corresponding measured data. The present model is expected to contribute to developing phosphor detectors worldwide.
Sato, Tatsuhiko; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Furuta, Takuya; Abe, Shinichiro; Kai, Takeshi; Matsuya, Yusuke; Matsuda, Norihiro; Hirata, Yuho; et al.
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 61(1), p.127 - 135, 2024/01
Times Cited Count：129 Percentile：99.97(Nuclear Science & Technology)The Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) is a general-purpose Monte Carlo radiation transport code that can simulate the behavior of most particle species with energies up to 1 TeV (per nucleon for ions). Its new version, PHITS3.31, was recently developed and released to the public. In the new version, the compatibility with high-energy nuclear data libraries and the algorithm of the track-structure modes have been improved. In this paper, we summarize the upgraded features of PHITS3.31 with respect to the physics models, utility functions, and application software introduced since the release of PHITS3.02 in 2017.
Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Sato, Tatsuhiko
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 61(1), p.68 - 73, 2024/01
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：25.62(Nuclear Science & Technology)The gamma de-excitation model of the general-purpose radiation transport code Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS), called the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF-)-Based Isomeric Transition and isomEr production Model (EBITEM) has been upgraded with focus on precise neutron capture reaction simulation. The first de-excitation subsequent to neutron capture of numerous nuclei, which was formerly simulated by a model based on the single particle model, is calculated using the Evaluated Gamma Activation File (EGAF). The database used for further de-excitation, ENSDF, retrieved in 2013, was replaced with Reference Input Parameter Library 3 (RIPL-3) to consider internal conversion. The internal conversion process was interfaced with the atomic de-excitation model to assess the emission of Auger electrons and fluorescent X-rays. The spectra of gamma-rays from neutron capture reactions calculated by the upgraded EBITEM correlate better with the evaluated cross section data than those of the previous version.
Murase, Kiyoka*; Kataoka, Ryuho*; Nishiyama, Takanori*; Sato, Kaoru*; Tsutsumi, Masaki*; Tanaka, Yoshimasa*; Ogawa, Yasunobu*; Sato, Tatsuhiko
Space Weather, 21(12), p.e2023SW003651_1 - e2023SW003651_11, 2023/12
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：16.18(Astronomy & Astrophysics)Comprehensive understandings of their global impact on the atmosphere require whole pictures of spatio-temporal distributions of the ionization due to them. We estimate the altitude profiles of the ionization rate during the space weather event occurred in September 2017 by using the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) with input of the particle fluxes obtained by satellites. The estimates are then compared with measurements of the ionization altitude, ionization intensity, and electron density by the radars in the polar region such as the PANSY radar at Syowa Station and the EISCAT in Tromso, Norway. We conclude that the PHITS simulation results reproduce those ionizations measured by ground-based instruments with inputs of observed ionization sources by satellites within a factor of 2.
Hirata, Yuho; Kai, Takeshi; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Matsuya, Yusuke*; Sato, Tatsuhiko
Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 62(10), p.106001_1 - 106001_6, 2023/10
Times Cited Count：4 Percentile：50.15(Physics, Applied)Optimization of semiconductor detector design requires theoretical analysis of the process of radiation conversion to carriers (excited electrons) in semiconductor materials. We, therefore, developed an electron track-structure code that can trace an incident electron trajectory down to a few eV and simulate many excited electron productions in semiconductors, named ETSART, and implemented it into PHITS. The accuracy of ETSART was validated by comparing calculated electron ranges in semiconductor materials with the corresponding data recommended in ICRU Report 37 and obtained from another simulation code. The average energy required to produce a single excited electron (epsilon value) is an important value that describes the characteristics of semiconductor detectors. Using ETSART, we computed the epsilon values in various semiconductors and found that the calculated epsilon values cannot be fitted well with a linear model of the band-gap energy. ETSART is expected to be useful for initial and mechanistic evaluations of electron-hole generation in undiscovered materials.
Sato, Tatsuhiko; Matsuya, Yusuke*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Kai, Takeshi; Hirata, Yuho; Tsuda, Shuichi; Parisi, A.*
Physics in Medicine & Biology, 68(15), p.155005_1 - 155005_15, 2023/07
Times Cited Count：10 Percentile：88.11(Engineering, Biomedical)In this study, we improved the microdosimetric function implemented in PHITS using the latest track-structure simulation codes. The improved function is capable of calculating the probability densities of not only the conventional microdosimetric quantities such as lineal energy but also the numbers of ionization events occurred in a target site, the so-called ionization cluster size distribution, for arbitrary site diameters from 3 nm to 1 um. As a new application of the improved function, we calculated the relative biological effectiveness of the single-strand break and double-strand break yields for proton irradiations using the updated PHITS coupled with the simplified DNA damage estimation model, and confirmed its equivalence in accuracy and its superiority in computational time compared to our previously proposed method based on the track-structure simulation.
Constantini, J.-M.*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Gourier, D.*
Journal of Physics; Condensed Matter, 35(28), p.285701_1 - 285701_12, 2023/04
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Physics, Condensed Matter)A novel analysis of luminescence is presented on the basis of virtual photon spectra (VPS) produced by charged particles (electrons or ions) passing by luminescent species such as defects or impurities, in wide band-gap ionic-covalent solids. The electron-energy dependence of experimental luminescence spectra of sapphire (-AlO) is discussed in relation to the computed VPS for the primary and secondary electrons. The experimental luminescence spectra of -AlO are also analyzed in this framework for protons and helium ions in the MeV energy range. The variations of stopping power are consistent with the variation of the number of emitted VPs. The decay of luminescence yield versus ion stopping power is discussed on the basis of the variation of the computed VPS, and ionization and excitation induced by primary ions and secondary electrons. This decay is accounted for by a decrease of the yield of low-energy secondary electrons with the subsequent VP emission.
Constantini, J.-M.*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko
Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 7(1), p.7_1 - 7_16, 2023/03
Sputtering, emission of constituent atoms or molecules of materials induced by irradiation, is regarded as one of standard engineering techniques. According to some experimental data, emission of atoms whose direction is anti-parallel to incident radiation momentum was found among the sputtered atoms. Based on the standard approach, the thermal-spike model, atoms are evaporated by equillibrated thermal canonical ensemble resulted in by heat propagation therefore emission must be isotropic. Inspired by the fact that ionizations induced by ion irradiation are arranged linearly along the ion path, and the electric repulsion force between the ionizations tend to be parallel to irradiation axis, we developed an alternative approach in this study to explain the anisotropic emission. Using the spatial configuration of the irradiation-induced positive ions calculated by track-structure calculation code RITRACKS, the momentum of ions driven by the electric force was calculated. The calculated result explains the inverse jet of ions in case of 1 MeV proton and 1 MeV/u carbon ion irradiation to water. Moreover, the calculated sputtering yield also agrees with earlier experimental data.
Iwamoto, Yosuke; Tsuda, Shuichi; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko
Frontiers in Energy Research (Internet), 11, p.1085264_1 - 1085264_11, 2023/01
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Energy & Fuels)This review describes experimental data useful for validation of radiation shielding design in advanced reactor systems such as nuclear fusion and accelerator-driven subcritical systems (ADS) and calculations using the PHITS code and JENDL-4.0/HE. The relevant experiments have been conducted mainly in Japan and include (1) neutron spectra in iron shields using 14 MeV neutron sources, (2) leakage neutron spectra from spherical piles of various materials using 14 MeV neutron sources, (3) neutron spectra after penetration through shields using several tens of MeV neutron sources, (4) neutron spectra produced from the target by high-energy heavy-ion bombardment, and (5) induced radioactivity in concrete using heavy-ion nuclear reaction product particles as a source. Throughout, the experimental and calculated values were agreed well. These experimental data are also useful for the validation of all radiation transport calculation codes used in the design of advanced reactor systems.
Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Hirata, Yuho; Matsuya, Yusuke; Kai, Takeshi
Isotope News, (784), p.13 - 16, 2022/12
Track-structure calculation, a method to simulate every secondary electron production reaction explicitly, has been extensively used as an important techniques in various fields such as radiation biology, material irradiation effect, and radiation detection. However, it requires the dielectric function of the target materials, which is not well known except for liquid water. Therefore we developed a model to perform track-structure calculation based on a systematic formula of secondary electron production cross section and that of stopping power. The model can therefore perform track-structure calculation regardless of the availability of dielectric function measurement data. Stopping range, and energy deposition radial distribution calculated by this model agreed well with the earlier experimental data and calculation by precedent codes. The lineal energy in tissue-equivalent gas calculated by this model agreed with measurement data taken from literature, showing distinct difference from that in liquid water. This model was implemented to PHITS Ver3.25, the general-purpose radiation transport simulation code of JAEA, being distributed to users as the first track-structure calculation model applicable to arbitrary materials available in general-purpose transport code.
Hirata, Yuho; Kai, Takeshi; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Matsuya, Yusuke; Sato, Tatsuhiko
Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 61(10), p.106004_1 - 106004_6, 2022/10
Times Cited Count：6 Percentile：48.96(Physics, Applied)Some radiation effects such as pulse-height defects and soft errors can cause problems in silicon (Si) devices. Local energy deposition in microscopic scales is essential information to elucidate the mechanism of these radiation effects. We, therefore, developed an electron track-structure model, which can simulate local energy deposition down to nano-scales, dedicated to Si and implemented it into PHITS. Then, we verified the accuracy of our developed model by comparing the ranges and depth-dose distributions of electrons obtained from this study with the corresponding experimental values and other simulated results. As an application of the model, we calculated the mean energies required to create an electron-hole pair, the so-called epsilon value. We found that the threshold energy for generating secondary electrons reproducing the epsilon value is 2.75 eV, consistent with the corresponding data deduced from past theoretical and computational studies. Since the magnitudes of the radiation effects on Si devices largely depend on the epsilon value, the developed code is expected to contribute to precisely understanding the mechanisms of pulse-height defects and semiconductor soft errors.
Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Litaize, O.*; Mancusi, D.*; Chebboubi, A.*; Serot, O.*
European Physical Journal A, 58(8), p.153_1 - 153_9, 2022/08
Times Cited Count：1 Percentile：18.16(Physics, Nuclear)The Monte-Carlo code FIFRELIN was originally developed for the simulation of first chance fission of fissile nuclei. It can predict fission observables such as fragment yields and neutron yields accurately by using experimental data and databases. However, FIFRELIN cannot calculate remnant dose and decay heat considering delayed decay of fission fragments. Moreover, FIFRELIN can predict the energy spectra of neutrons and gammas but further transport calculation required generation of heavy external files. In this study, FIFRELIN was interfaced to radiation transport code PHITS to perform burn up calculation and particle transport calculation. Owing to the burn up calculation, decay heat and remnant dose were calculated for given irradiation condition and cooling period. Interface of particle transport calculation by PHITS and FIFRELIN can perform particle transport simulation based on the source term calculated by FIFRELIN.
Hirata, Yuho; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Watanabe, Kenichi*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Parisi, A.*; Uritani, Akira*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(7), p.915 - 924, 2022/07
Times Cited Count：12 Percentile：89.29(Nuclear Science & Technology)The reliability of dose assessment with radiation detectors is an important feature in various fields, such as radiotherapy, radiation protection, and high-energy physics. However, many detectors irradiated by high linear energy transfer (LET) radiations exhibit decreased efficiency called the quenching effect. This quenching effect depends not only on the particle LET but strongly on the ion species and its microscopic pattern of energy deposition. Recently, a computational method for estimating the relative efficiency of luminescence detectors was proposed following analysis of microdosimetric specific energy distributions simulated using the particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS). This study applied the model to estimate the relative optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) efficiency of BaFBr:Eu detectors. Additionally, we measured the luminescence intensity of BaFBr:Eu detectors exposed to 
He, 
C and 
Ne ions to verify the calculated data. The model reproduced the experimental data in the cases of adopting a microdosimetric target diameter of approximately 30-50 nm. The calculated relative efficiency exhibit ion-species dependence in addition to LET. This result shows that the microdosimetric calculation from specific energy is a successful method for accurately understanding the results of OSL measurements with BaFBr:Eu detectors irradiated by various particles.
Walter, H.*; Colonna, M.*; Cozma, D.*; Danielewicz, P.*; Ko, C. M.*; Kumar, R.*; Ono, Akira*; Tsang, M. Y. B*; Xu, J.*; Zhang, Y.-X.*; et al.
Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics, 125, p.103962_1 - 103962_90, 2022/07
Times Cited Count：88 Percentile：95.20(Physics, Nuclear)Transport models are the main method to obtain physics information on the nuclear equation of state and in-medium properties of particles from low to relativistic-energy heavy-ion collisions. The Transport Model Evaluation Project (TMEP) has been pursued to test the robustness of transport model predictions to reach consistent conclusions from the same type of physical model. To this end, calculations under controlled conditions of physical input and set-up were performed by the various participating codes. These included both calculations of nuclear matter in a periodic box, which test individual ingredients of a transport code, and calculations of complete collisions of heavy ions. Over the years, five studies were performed within this project. They show, on one hand, that in box calculations the differences between the codes can be well understood and a convergence of the results can be reached. These studies also highlight the systematic differences between the two families of transport codes, known under the names of Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) and Quantum Molecular Dynamics (QMD) type codes. On the other hand, there still exist substantial differences when these codes are applied to real heavy-ion collisions. The results of transport simulations of heavy-ion collisions will have more significance if codes demonstrate that they can verify benchmark calculations such as the ones studied in these evaluations.
