Title :
An optical self-powered neutron detector using nuclear pumping
Author :
Nakazawa, M. ; Notani, M. ; Iguchi, T. ; Kakuta, T. ; Yamagishi, H. ; Katagiri, M.
Author_Institution :
Advanced Sci. Res. Center, JAERI, Ibaraki, Japan
fDate :
30 Oct-5 Nov 1994
Abstract :
Based on the nuclear pumped laser technique, an optical self-powered neutron detector is now being investigated, in the JAERI Advanced Science Research Center. The first experiment has been made using lasing gas cells with three components of He-3 gas (1140 mmHg), Ne gas (588 mmHg) and H2 gas (206 mmHg or 412 mmHg), or Ar gas (206 mmHg) instead of H2 gas in a thermal neutron flux of about 109n/cm2 sec. For this irradiation, optical light of 585.3 nm from the transition of Ne 3P1→3S2 has been observed clearly from those gas cells. The optical light output was increased according to the reactor power and the measurement of the optical attenuation coefficient of 585.3 nm in this gas has been made and is found to decrease for increasing neutron flux. From these results, the nuclear pumped laser can be expected to be in operation above a neutron flux of 1011n/cm2·sec. The second experiment is now under preparation
Keywords :
absorption coefficients; fission reactor instrumentation; fission reactor monitoring; gas lasers; light absorption; neutron detection; nuclear pumped lasers; particle detectors; self-powered neutron detectors; 1140 mmHg; 206 mmHg; 42 mmHg; 585.3 nm; 588 mmHg; He-Ne-Ar; He-Ne-H2; nuclear pumped laser; optical attenuation coefficient; optical light output; optical self-powered neutron detector; thermal neutron irradiation; Argon; Gas lasers; Inductors; Laser excitation; Laser theory; Neutrons; Optical attenuators; Optical detectors; Optical pumping; Pump lasers;
Conference_Titel :
Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, 1994., 1994 IEEE Conference Record
Conference_Location :
Norfolk, VA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-2544-3
DOI :
10.1109/NSSMIC.1994.474433
