A study of photon interaction parameters in barium compounds

We have studied the shielding properties of Barium compounds such as BaF2, BaI2, BaS, Ba3N2, BaSe and BaH2. The photon interaction parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient, Half Value Layer (HVL), Tenth Value Layer (TVL), effective atomic number and electron density of different gamma energies such as 170Tm (0.084 MeV), 137Cs (0.662 MeV) and 60Co (1.170, 1.330 MeV) are measured in given barium compounds. The measured values agree well with the theory. The effective atomic numbers (Zeff) and electron density (Ne) of Barium compounds have been computed in the wide energy region 1 keV to 100 GeV. We have also computed energy absorption buildup factors for the same compounds. The mass attenuation coefficient and linear attenuation coefficient for Ba3N2 is higher than the BaF2, BaI2, BaS, BaSe and BaH2. Half Value Layer (HVL), Tenth Value Layer (HVL) and mean free path are lower for same compoung Ba3N2 than the BaF2, BaI2, BaS, BaSe and BaH2. The calculated energy absorption buildup factors also minimum for Ba3N2. Hence, among the studied barium compounds Ba3N2 is best material for X-ray and gamma shielding.