A Bragg curve counter with an internal production target for the measurement of the double-differential cross-section of fragment production induced by neutrons at energies of tens of MeV

Abstract

A Bragg curve counter equipped with an internal production target was developed for the measurements of double-differential cross-sections of fragment production induced by neutrons at energies of tens of MeV. The internal target permitted a large detection solid angle and thus the registration of processes at low production rates. In this specific geometry, the detection solid angle depends on the emission angle and the range of the particle. Therefore the energy, atomic number, and angle of trajectory of the particle have to be taken into account for the determination of the solid angle. For the selection of events with tracks confined within a defined cylindrical volume around the detector axis, a segmented anode was applied. The double-differential cross-sections for neutron-induced production of lithium, beryllium, and boron fragments from a carbon target were measured at 0° for 65 MeV neutrons. The results are in good agreement with theoretical calculation using PHITS code with GEM and ISOBAR model.