Title
Atmospheric Neutron Monitoring through Optical Fiber-Based Sensing.
Abstract
The potential of fiber-based sensors to monitor the fluence of atmospheric neutrons is evaluated through accelerated tests at the TRIUMF Neutron Facility (TNF) (BC, Canada), offering a flux approximatively 10(9)higher than the reference spectrum observed under standard conditions in New York City, USA. The radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) at 1625 nm of a phosphorus-doped radiation sensitive optical fiber is shown to linearly increase with neutron fluence, allowing an in situ and easy monitoring of the neutron flux and fluence at this facility. Furthermore, our experiments show that the fiber response remains sensitive to the ionization processes, at least up to a fluence of 7.1 x 10(11)n cm(-2), as its radiation sensitivity coefficient (similar to 3.36 dB km(-1)Gy(-1)) under neutron exposure remains very similar to the one measured under X-rays (similar to 3.8 dB km(-1)Gy(-1)) at the same wavelength. The presented results open the way to the development of a point-like or even a distributed dosimeter for natural or man-made neutron-rich environments. The feasibility to measure the dose caused by the neutron exposure during stratospheric balloon experiments, or during outer space missions, is presented as a case study of a potential future application.
Year
DOI
Venue
2020
10.3390/s20164510
SENSORS
Keywords
DocType
Volume
radiation monitor,fiber sensors,atmospheric neutron,dosimetry,optical fibers,radiation effects,space,optical time domain reflectometry
Journal
20
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
16
1424-8220
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
16