Search results for " Neutrons"
showing 10 items of 74 documents
Ultrafast Optical Demagnetization manipulates Nanoscale Spin Structure in Domain Walls
2012
During ultrafast demagnetization of a magnetically ordered solid, angular momentum has to be transferred between the spins, electrons, and phonons in the system on femto- and picosecond timescales. Although the intrinsic spin-transfer mechanisms are intensely debated, additional extrinsic mechanisms arising due to nanoscale heterogeneity have only recently entered the discussion. Here we use femtosecond X-ray pulses from a free-electron laser to study thin film samples with magnetic domain patterns. We observe an infrared-pump-induced change of the spin structure within the domain walls on the sub-picosecond timescale. This domain-topography-dependent contribution connects the intrinsic dem…
Monte Carlo simulation of the energy released by neutrons on organic compounds for EPR dosimetry
2022
In this work we report the analyses of the energy released per unit mass in organic compounds used for EPR dosimetry exposed to neutron beams in order to predict the increase in dose achievable by addition of gadolinium (Gd) inside the pellets. In particular, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were carried out for alanine, ammonium tartrate and phenolic compounds irradiated with neutron beams with different energy spectra at various depths inside a water phantom. The addition of gadolinium increases sensitivity of these dosimeters to neutrons thanks to the high gadolinium cross section for neutron capture and to the large number of secondary particles (mainly Auger and internal conversion electro…
Phenol compounds for Electron Spin Resonance dosimetry in gamma and neutron field
2016
The use of neutrons for cancer treatments has stimulated the research for beam characterization in order to optimize the therapy procedures in Neutron Capture Therapy (Altieri, 2008). Several research laboratories have shown an increasing interest aimed at extending the applicability of Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dosimetry to radiotherapy with different types of radiation beams. In particular, ESR spectrometry provides absorbed dose measurements through the detection of the stable free radicals produced by ionizing radiations. The ESR dosimetric method has many advantages such as simple and rapid dose evaluation, the readout procedure is non-destructive, linear response of many organic a…
The use of gadolinium for ESR dosimetry
2010
The application of gadolinium to sensitize Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dosimeters is reviewed. This nucleus is chosen because it has very good features in interacting with ionizing radiations. In particular, it has a very high capture cross section for thermal neutrons which favors the interactions of these particles within the detector; moreover, the charged secondary particles released after neutron interactions (mainly Auger and internal conversion electrons) are able to release their energy close the gadolinium site and, therefore, inside the sensitive volume of the detector. Consequently, the addition of gadolinium inside ESR dosimeters produces a significant enhancement of thermal n…
Monte Carlo simulation of energy absorbed in phenolic ESR dosimeters added with gadolinium exposed to thermal, epithermal and fast neutrons
2017
Abstract In this work analyses of the energy released per unit mass in phenolic compound exposed to neutron beams were performed with the aim of predicting the increase in dose achievable by addition of gadolinium (Gd) inside the pellets. In particular, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were carried out for IRGANOX® 1076 phenolic compound irradiated with neutron beams with different energy spectra at various depths inside a water phantom. The addition of gadolinium increases sensitivity of phenolic ESR (electron spin resonance) dosimeters to neutrons thanks to the high gadolinium cross section for neutron capture and to the large number of secondary particles (mainly Auger and internal conversio…
New constraints on Lorentz invariance violation from the neutron electric dipole moment
2010
We propose an original test of Lorentz invariance in the interaction between a particle spin and an electromagnetic field and report on a first measurement using ultracold neutrons. We used a high sensitivity neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) spectrometer and searched for a direction dependence of a nEDM signal leading to a modulation of its magnitude at periods of 12 and 24 hours. We constrain such a modulation to $d_{12} < 15 \times 10^{-25} \ e\,{\rm cm}$ and $d_{24} < 10 \times 10^{-25} \ e\,{\rm cm}$ at 95~\% C.L. The result translates into a limit on the energy scale for this type of Lorentz violation effect at the level of ${\cal E}_{LV} > 10^{10}$~GeV.
Characterization of Fricke gel dosimeters exposed to gamma rays and neutrons
2013
THE EFFECT OF GADOLINIUM ON THE ESR RESPONSE OF ALANINE AND AMMONIUM TARTRATE EXPOSED TO THERMAL NEUTRONS
2008
Many efforts have been made to develop neutron capture therapy (NCT) for cancer treatment. Among the challenges in using NCT is the characterization of the features of the mixed radiation field and of its components. In this study, we examined the enhancement of the ESR response of pellets of alanine and ammonium tartrate with gadolinium oxide exposed to a thermal neutron beam. In particular, the ESR response of these dosimeters as a function of the gadolinium content inside the dosimeter was analyzed. We found that the addition of gadolinium improves the sensitivity of both alanine and ammonium tartrate. However, the use of gadolinium involves a reduces in or abolishes tissue equivalence b…
Indoor Fast Neutron Generator for Biophysical and Electronic Applications
2018
This study focuses the attention on an indoor fast neutron generator for biophysical and electronic applications. More specifically, the findings obtained by several simulations with the MCNP Monte Carlo code, necessary for the realization of a shield for indoor measurements, are presented. Furthermore, an evaluation of the neutron spectrum modification caused by the shielding is reported. Fast neutron generators are a valid and interesting available source of neutrons, increasingly employed in a wide range of research fields, such as science and engineering. The employed portable pulsed neutron source is a MP320 Thermo Scientific neutron generator, able to generate 2.5 MeV neutrons with a …