Recent activities in the field of radiation, accelerator, and beam technologies

ABSTRACT

Many of the outstanding researches and developments in the field of radiation, accelerator, and beam technology are published in scientific journals, including the Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology. Some topics from the latest activities in these fields are introduced.

KEYWORDS:

• Radiation
• accelerator
• beam technology

Many of the outstanding researches and developments in the field of radiation, accelerator, and beam technology, which have an important role in the nuclear science and technology region, are reported in scientific journals, including the Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology. In this summary, some topics from the latest activities in these fields are introduced.

In the field of radiation application, developments and benchmarks of the PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Trasnport code System) code are active. The PHITS code was updated (version 3.02) with new features including the revisions to the nuclear reaction models and the incorporation of new atomic interaction models [1]. As several useful functions were also equipped, the PHITS code became easier to use than the previous version. In addition, the benchmark studies of the PHITS code were reported. Ref. [2] summarized the recent benchmark of the PHITS code. On the other hand, several applications of the MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended) code were also reported. For example, activation and radiation effect of the ESS (European Neutron Spallation Source) target were evaluated with MCNPX [3]. Like other studies, physical model studies for high energy nuclear reactions such as Ref. [4] are proceeding.

As a development of large-scale facilities, target developments at J-PARC (Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex) for high power operation were done [5,6]. Several remarkable researches in J-PARC such as Refs [7,8]. are reported. The ESS design and present status being constructed at Lund in Sweden are summarized in Ref [9]. Small neutron source developments are also reported. A function to provide neutron spectrum of the 9Be+p reaction was developed [10]. Estimations and developments for BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) are reported actively such as Ref [11].

Nuclear data in the various energy regions were measured. In Ref. [12], proton-induced activation cross section of aluminum in the GeV region was measured. In Ref. [13], neutron total and capture cross section of ²⁴¹Am in the eV region were measured. Moreover, important theoretical studies for fission and delayed neutron have been published [14,15].

Several detector developments to measure charged particles and neutron were reported. A single-grid-type micro-strip gas chamber (S-MSGC) using transparent electrodes based on the LCD technology was reported [16]. Dielectric microcalorimeter as a detector was also reported [17].

According to X-ray detection, several studies about ‘transXend’ system were reported. For example, Refs [18,19] report improvements of the ‘transXend’ system.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.