Calibration and test of a 6LiF-diamond detector for the HCPB mock-up experiment at JET

Abstract

One relevant experiment selected for the DT phase at JET is the irradiation of the HCPB-TBM mock-up of ITER which will be located in front of the horizontal port of Octant-8. The neutronics performances of the HCPB-TBM will be studied through independent measurement techniques and the experimental quantities compared to the results of Monte Carlo simulation. Of paramount importance is the measurement of the tritium production rate (TPR) to be performed by using a single crystal diamond detector covered with a thin layer of 6LiF (LiDia detector). This requires the knowledge of the 6Li mass. In this work the 6Li mass calibration of the selected LiDia detector was first performed in a well characterized thermal neutron flux spectrum. Furthermore, a performance test of the detector was carried out by locating it inside a polyethylene phantom irradiated with 14 MeV neutrons at the Frascati Neutron generator. The experimental set-up was accurately simulated by using the MCNP5 code and the TPR compared to the measured one. The goal was to point out and assess the issues with the measurement method.