Response matrix of a neutron spectroscopy system comprised of successive BF₃ and H₂O arrays

¹ Atomic Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, 13759 Cairo, Egypt
² Nuclear Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, King Abdul Aziz University, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
³ Nuclear Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, 21544 Alexandria, Egypt

Corresponding author: emahmud@hotmail.com

Received: 8 January 2008
Revised: 17 September 2008
Accepted: 15 July 2009
Published online: 15 October 2009

Abstract

The response matrix of a neutron spectroscopy system is studied. The system is comprised of successive rectangular parallel layers of BF₃ followed sequentially by water layers. In total, ten BF₃ (96% ¹⁰B) layers and nine H₂O ones are configured in periodic order. Two different geometries are investigated; system A and system B. MCNP-4C is used to estimate the response functions of both systems. The response matrix of system A shows higher magnitude than those obtained from system B. In addition, the response matrix of system A shows more distinctive behavior than that obtained from system B.