EpiXS: A Windows-based program for photon attenuation, dosimetry and shielding based on EPICS2017 (ENDF/B-VIII) and EPDL97 (ENDF/B-VI.8)

Abstract

A Windows-based application software called EpiXS (available at https://www.pnri.dost.gov.ph/index.php/downloads/software/epixs) was constructed for photon attenuation, dosimetry and shielding, and is based on EPICS2017 of ENDF/B-VIII and EPDL97 of ENDF/B-VI.8. The software performs data library interpolation between 1 keV and 100 GeV and calculates partial or total cross sections (σ), mass attenuation coefficients (μ/ρ), linear attenuation coefficients (μ), mean free paths (mfp), half-value layers (hvl), effective atomic numbers (Zeff), electron densities (Neff), and the auxiliary parameters and buildup factors for energy absorption (EABF) and exposure (EBF) via Geometric-Progression, for any user-defined material. It has a user-friendly design and performs quick interactive graphing and data tabulations. Data generated by the software were compared with published results from literature as well as generated results from XCOM and from other programs based on XCOM/NIST libraries. The comparisons were mostly found to agree well, nonetheless the deviations observed may highlight the values from the latest EPICS2017. The EpiXS is introduced as a new tool for instant calculations involving ionizing photon radiation dosimetry and shielding.