Design of 6 Mev linear accelerator based pulsed thermal neutron source: FLUKA simulation and experiment

The 6 MeV LINAC based pulsed thermal neutron source has been designed for bulk materials analysis. The design was optimized by varying different parameters of the target and materials for each region using FLUKA code. The optimized design of thermal neutron source gives flux of 3×106ncm−2s−1 with more than 80% of thermal neutrons and neutron to gamma ratio was 1×104ncm−2mR−1. The results of prototype experiment and simulation are found to be in good agreement with each other.

► The optimized 6 eV linear accelerator based thermal neutron source using FLUKA simulation. ► Beryllium as a photonuclear target and reflector, polyethylene as a filter and shield, graphite as a moderator. ► Optimized pulsed thermal neutron source gives neutron flux of 3×106 n cm−2 s−1. ► Results of the prototype experiment were compared with simulations and are found to be in good agreement. ► This source can effectively be used for the study of bulk material analysis and activation products.