Measurement of Photoneutron Yields Using the RPI LINAC and Assessment of Evaluated Photoneutron Data for Tantalum and Beryllium

A new experiment configuration was designed, developed, and implemented to measure photoneutron yields using the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) electron linear accelerator (LINAC) at RPI Gaerttner LINAC Center. The includes a target assembly that converts beam into high energy bremsstrahlung photon flux incident upon sample material of interest. photons excite nuclei in interest, which can subsequently emit neutrons (photoneutrons). photoneutrons emitted direction detector system travel through series collimated vacuum pipes before reaching pair proton-recoil high-energy neutron detectors. signals generated by detectors are processed digital data acquisition analyzed determine energy-dependent yield from used perform proof-of-concept experiments samples tantalum beryllium. measured results were then compared against Monte Carlo simulations detailed configurations preliminary assessments evaluated libraries.