Prototype Neutron Spectrometer Validated for Future Fusion Applications

A recent paper titled "Validation of Thin-foil proton recoil neutron spectrometer prototype for application in high yield DT fusion devices" by B. Marcinkevicius, E. Andersson Sunden, G. Ericsson, and A. Hjalmarsson discusses the development and testing of a prototype Thin-foil Proton Recoil (TPR) neutron spectrometer. This spectrometer is significant for future fusion devices, such as ITER, where neutron spectroscopy is essential for monitoring fuel content.

The researchers designed and constructed the TPR spectrometer and utilized a deuterium-tritium (DT) neutron generator as a source for their measurements. They compared the experimental results with simulations based on the Geant4 model. The findings indicated that the experimental results aligned closely with the simulation predictions, falling within the intrinsic energy resolution of the silicon detector used.

Key results from the study include:

• The experimental validation of the Geant4 simulations increases confidence in the applicability of these models to other devices.
• The energy calibration demonstrated the feasibility of using nuclear reactions measured in silicon detectors for this purpose.
• Discrepancies in the measured energy spectrum suggest the need for further refinement of the model and improved experimental control.

The successful validation of the TPR spectrometer prototype may enhance the monitoring capabilities of neutron spectrometers during operations at ITER, potentially impacting the future of fusion energy research. The full citation for the paper is available at arXiv:2408.16093.