title: A precise method to determine the activity of a weak neutron source using a germanium detector.
abstract: A standard high purity germanium (HPGe) detector was used to determine the previously unknown neutron activity of a weak americium-beryllium (AmBe) neutron source. γ rays were created through (27)Al(n,n'), (27)Al(n,γ) and (1)H(n,γ) reactions induced by the neutrons on aluminum and acrylic disks, respectively. These γ rays were measured using the HPGe detector. Given the unorthodox experimental arrangement, a Monte Carlo simulation was developed to model the efficiency of the detector system to determine the neutron activity from the measured γ rays. The activity of our neutron source was determined to be 307.4±5.0n/s and is consistent for the different neutron-induced γ rays.
authors.affiliation: SLOWPOKE Nuclear Reactor Facility, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G7 Canada.
authors.forename: M J M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Duke
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1 Canada.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hallin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1 Canada.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1 Canada. Electronic address: mekarski@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mekarski
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1 Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sibley
keywords: Activity determination; Germanium detector; Neutron activation; Simulation; Spectroscopy