Be target development for the accelerator-based SPES-BNCT facility at INFN Legnaro.
An accelerator-driven thermal neutron source for BNCT, planned to be installed at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL), is in progress in the framework of the SPES (selective production of exotic species) research program. The most critical element of such a facility is the construction of a reliable neutron converter based on the (9)Be(p,xn) nuclear reaction, working at a high power level (150 kW) and 5 MeV beam energy, due to the SPES driver constraints. Two original, beryllium-based, target concepts have been designed for such a purpose. The present status of the neutron converter, as well as the test results performed so far on prototypes constructed, is reported here.
National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) Legnaro National Laboratory, Via dell'Università 2, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. juan.esposito@lnl.infn.it
J
J
Esposito
P
P
Colautti
S
S
Fabritsiev
A
A
Gervash
R
R
Giniyatulin
V N
VN
Lomasov
A
A
Makhankov
I
I
Mazul
A
A
Pisent
A
A
Pokrovsky
M
M
Rumyantsev
V
V
Tanchuk
L
L
Tecchio
D001608:Beryllium / Q000528:radiation effects*; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005214:Fast Neutrons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008545:Melanoma / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy
D001608:Beryllium