Contact

Dr. Arnd Junghans

Project leader
Nuclear Physics
a.junghansAthzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 3589

Dr. Roland Beyer

Beam line scientist, radiation protection officer FWK
Nuclear Physics
roland.beyer@hzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 3281

orangener PfeilNuclear Physics Department

orangener PfeilELBE Cen­ter for High-power Radiation Sources

orangener PfeilTime-of-flight experiments

orangener PfeilARIEL

Neutrons at ELBE

Fast neutron facilities are generally of two types: white neutron sources and quasi-monoenergetic neutron sources. While the latter deliver neutron beams at a single energy, the white sources produce neutrons in a continuous range of energies when a beam of charged particles hits a heavy target like tungsten or lead. In this case, the energy of a neutron can be determined by measuring its velocity by flight time.

At the ELBE - Center for High-Power Radiation Sources of HZDR the very compact neutron time-of-flight system nELBE has been built. The electron beam emitted by the superconducting electron linear accelerator ELBE is used to produce a white neutron spectrum in a liquid-lead neutron radiator. The neutron kinetic energy ranges from below 100 keV to above 10 MeV with a variable repetition rate from single pulse operation to 400 kHz (c.w.). The flight path range is about 5 – 11 m.

Floorplan nELBE
Floorplan of the nELBE time-of-flight facility with photoneutron source (bottom) and low-background experimental hall (top). The insets show details of the photoneutron production in a liquid lead circuit, the neutron beam collimator and an experimental setup with γ-ray detectors for inelastic scattering.

In the fast neutron energy range, there is a need for neutron-induced reaction data relevant for basic science and technical applications. The long-term needs for nuclear data are updated every ten years by international experts at the International Atomic Energy Agency [1].

Characteristic parameters:

HZDR Quadrat  repetition rate: 102, 203, 406 kHz
HZDR Quadrat  flight path: 5 - 11 m
HZDR Quadrat  source strength: ca. 1.6·1011 n/s
HZDR Quadrat  flux at target: ca. 2.5·104 n/cm2/s
HZDR Quadrat  energy range: 10 keV - 15 MeV
HZDR Quadrat  energy resolution: < 1%
Characteristic parameters of the nELBE facility for time-of-flight experiments. Source strength and flux at target are the values for 200 kHz repetition rate and the maximum electron bunch charge of 77 pC.

In addition, the TU Dresden DT neutron generator (contact: Prof. Dr. Kai Zuber, TU Dresden) that produces monoenergetic neutrons at 14 MeV is located in the ELBE accelerator hall. This facility is used for fusion neutronics studies and neutron activation experiments related to fundamental physics, e.g. the search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay.

[1] Long Term Needs for Nuclear Data Development (INDC(NDS)-0601, ed. A. Plompen 2011, Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency Nuclear Data section)

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Transnational Access

 
  • Transnational access to the nELBE facility is possible through the Horizon2020-Project ARIEL

Research Grants

 
  • ARIEL "Accelerator and Research reactor Infrastructures for Education and Learning"

    01.09.2019 - 31.08.2023, HORIZON 2020 - 847594

  • SANDA "Supplying Accurate Nuclear Data for energy and non-energy Applications"
    01.09.2019 - 31.08.2023, HORIZON 2020 - 847552

former:

 
  • CHANDA ”Solving Challenges in Nuclear Data for the Safety of European Nuclear Facilities ”
    01.12.2013 - 30.12.2017, EURATOM FP7-605203
  • BMBF (German federal ministry for education and research) Verbundprojekt
    ”Transmutationsrelevante Kernphysikalische Untersuchungen...”,
    02NUK013A 01.10.2009 - 31.12.2014
  • ERINDA (project coordinator)
    EURATOM Fission-2010-ERINDA (project no.269499)

Recent publications

 

Fast-neutron-induced fission cross section of Pu(242) measured at the neutron time-of-flight facility nELBE

T. Kögler; A. R. Junghans; R. Beyer; M. Dietz; C. E. Düllmann; K. Eberhardt; et al. (16 authors)

Related publications

Measurement of the prompt fission γ-ray spectrum of 242Pu

S. Urlass; R. Beyer; A. R. Junghans; T. Kögler; R. Schwengner; A. Wagner

Cross section and neutron angular distribution measurements of neutron scattering on natural iron

E. Pirovano; R. Beyer; M. Dietz; A. R. Junghans; S. E. Müller; R. Nolte; et al. (11 authors)

Related publications

Radiative neutron capture on 242Pu in the resonance region at the CERN n_TOF-EAR1 facility

J. Lerendegui-Marco; C. Guerrero; E. Mendoza; J. M. Quesada; K. Eberhardt; A. R. Junghans; et al. (133 authors)

The neutron transmission of natFe, 197Au and natW

R. Beyer; A. R. Junghans; P. Schillebeeckx; I. Sirakov; T.-Y. Song; D. Bemmerer; et al. (27 authors)

The γ-ray angular distribution in fast neutron inelastic scattering from iron

R. Beyer; M. Dietz; D. Bemmerer; A. R. Junghans; T. Kögler; R. Massarczyk; et al. (12 authors)

Measurements of neutron scattering angular distributions with a new scintillator setup

E. Pirovano; R. Beyer; A. R. Junghans; R. Nolte; M. Nyman; A. Plompen

Related publications

The determination of the fast neutron-induced fission cross section of Pu(242) at nELBE

T. Kögler; R. Beyer; A. R. Junghans; S. E. Müller; R. Schwengner; A. Wagner

  • Open Access Logo Contribution to proceedings
    Scientific Workshop on Nuclear Fission dynamics and the Emission of Prompt Neutrons and Gamma Rays, 20.-22.06.2017, Varna, Bulgaria
    European Physical Journal: Web of Conferences, Vol. 169, 00009, Les Ulis Cedex A: EDP Sciences
    DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/201816900009

All nELBE publications

Contact

Dr. Arnd Junghans

Project leader
Nuclear Physics
a.junghansAthzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 3589

Dr. Roland Beyer

Beam line scientist, radiation protection officer FWK
Nuclear Physics
roland.beyer@hzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 3281

Links

Nuclear Physics Department
Radiation Source ELBE
Time-of-flight experiments
ARIEL