Analysis of the Radiation Attenuation Parameters of Cu2HgI4, Ag2HgI4, and (Cu/Ag/Hg I) Semiconductor Compounds

Heba Y Zahran,Ahmad Umar,Mohammed S Alqahtani,El Sayed Yousef,Hamed Algarni,Ibrahim S Yahia,Hasan B Albargi,Manuela Reben,Nehal Sabry

doi:10.3390/cryst12020276

Abstract

This analysis aims to determine photon attenuation for five different ternary and binary iodide compounds using Phy-X/PSD software. For a broad range of photon energies between 0.015 and 15 MeV, the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), half-value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), and mean free path (MFP) for the samples of Cu2HgI4, Ag2HgI4, CuI, AgI, and HgI were calculated. For illustration, the following values of TVL apply at 1 MeV: S1: 6.062 cm, S2: 6.209 cm, S3: 6.929 cm, S4: 6.897 cm, and S5: 4.568 cm. Some important parameters, such as total atomic cross-sections (ACS), electronic cross-sections (ECS), the effective atomic numbers (Zeff), effective electron density (Neff), and effective conductivity (Ceff) of the samples were also calculated. Additionally, exposure buildup factors (EBF) and energy-absorption buildup factor (EABF) were estimated. These data on the radiation characteristics of our samples could be useful for gamma attenuation. The HgI sample has the highest FNRCS values (0.0892) relative to the other tested samples showing good neutron attenuation features. The CuI sample shows low gamma attenuation features; in contrast, it shows high neutron attenuation features.

Highlights

Ionizing radiation has adverse impacts on the human body in laboratories, hospitals, and nuclear power plants, so radiation protectors attract considerable attention from researchers
The main gamma-ray attenuation parameters of the investigated samples were detected in the photon energy range from 0.015 to 15 MeV
Three binary compounds CuI, AgI, and HgI coded as S3, S4, and S5, respectively, were investigated using Phy-X/PSD software with photon energy range from 0.015 to15 MeV

Summary

Introduction

Ionizing radiation has adverse impacts on the human body in laboratories, hospitals, and nuclear power plants, so radiation protectors attract considerable attention from researchers. The concept of radiation shielding is dependent on a medium’s ability to reduce the impact of photons by attenuating them. Research on the relationship between radiation and matter requires a proper characterization and evaluation of penetration and radiation diffusion in a medium [1]. The attenuation coefficient can calculate the probability of possible interactions between gamma rays and atomic nuclei. The MAC, mass attenuation coefficient, accurate values are required to produce key data in various fields such as dosimeter protection, radiation shielding, nuclear diagnostic and medicine, and other applications [2,3]. Half value (HVL), mean free path (MFP), effective nuclear number (Zeff ), effective electron density (Neff ), and effective conductivity (Ceff ) are important quantities required to know the gamma-ray penetration [2,4]. The exposure buildup (EBF) and energy absorption buildup factors (EABF) are the two types of buildup factors defined in detail by the American Nuclear Society (ANSI/ANS) [5–7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion