Optimal moderator materials at various proton energies considering photon dose rate after irradiation for an accelerator-driven ⁹Be(p, n) boron neutron capture therapy neutron source.
We evaluated the accelerator beam power and the neutron-induced radioactivity of (9)Be(p, n) boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) neutron sources having a MgF2, CaF2, or AlF3 moderator and driven by protons with energy from 8 MeV to 30 MeV. The optimal moderator materials were found to be MgF2 for proton energies less than 10 MeV because of lower required accelerator beam power and CaF2 for higher proton energies because of lower photon dose rate at the treatment position after neutron irradiation.
Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan. Electronic address: y-hashimoto517@eng.hokudai.ac.jp.
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Hashimoto
Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan. Electronic address: hiraga@eng.hokudai.ac.jp.
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Hiraga
Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan. Electronic address: kiyanagi@phi.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp.
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Kiyanagi
D001608:Beryllium / Q000737:chemistry*; D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009502:Neutrons; D011522:Protons
D011522:Protons; D001608:Beryllium
Accelerator beam power; Moderator material; Neutron-induced radioactivity; Proton energy dependence