Characterization of the neutron field from the ²⁴¹Am-Be isotopic source of the IPHC irradiator

A measurement campaign has been carried out recently to provide the source intensity and the reference spectra around a neutron irradiation facility based on 241Am-Be radionuclide source, using the UAB Bonner Sphere Spectrometer. This facility, which consists of a bunker, a container/shielding for the source and an irradiation device that uses an automated remote-controlled system for the source positioning and rotating during the dosimeter irradiation, is intended to be routinely used to check the response of passive dosimeters, namely those based on photo-stimulated imaging plates and solid-state nuclear track detectors. The measurement results, in terms of neutron spectra and global dosimetric quantities (i.e.; fluence and ambient dose equivalent rates) at different distances with respect to the 241Am-Be source, were compared with Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNPX code and a good agreement was observed. An estimation of the un-scattered neutron spectrum directly emitted from the 241Am-Be source is given as well. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.