Monte Carlo studies of micromegas as a neutron detector and its track reconstruction

In this paper a two dimensional readout micromegas detector with a polyethylene foil as converter was simulated on GEANT4 toolkit and GARFIELD for fast neutron detection. A new track reconstruction method based on time coincidence technology was developed in the simulation to obtain the incident neutron position. The results showed that with this reconstruction method higher spatial resolution was achieved.

Neutron and proton diffusion in fusion reactions for the synthesis of superheavy nuclei

The restriction of the one dimensional (1D) master equation (ME) with the mass number of the projectile-like fragment as a variable is studied, and a two-dimensional (2D) master equation with the neutron and proton numbers as independent variables is set up, and solved numerically. Our study showed that the 2D ME can describe the fusion process well in all projectile-target combinations. Therefore the possible channels to synthesize super-heavy nuclei can be studied correctly in wider possibilities. The available condition for employing 1D ME is pointed out.

Theoretical investigation on excitation, ionization and capture in H(1s, 2s)+H(1s, 2s) collisions

Cross sections of electron- loss in H( 1s)+ H( 1s) collisions and total collisional destruction of H( 2s) in H( 1s) + H( 2s) collisions are calculated by four- body classical- trajectory Monte Carlo ( CTMC) method and compared with previous theoretical and experimental data over the energy range of 4 - 100 keV. For the former a good agreement is obtained within di. erent four- body CTMC calculations, and for the incident energy Ep > 10 keV, comparison with the experimental data shows a better agreement than the results calculated by the impact parameter approximation. For the latter, our theory predicts the correct experimental behaviour, and the discrepancies between our results and experimental ones are less than 30%. Based on the successive comparison with experiments, the cross sections for excitation to H( 2p), single- and double- ionization and H- formation in H( 2s)+ H( 2s) collisions are calculated in the energy range of 4 - 100 keV for the. rst time, and compared with those in H( 1s)+ H( 1s) and H( 1s)+ H( 2s) collisions.

Neutron-proton bremsstrahlung from intermediate energy heavy-ion reactions as a probe of the nuclear symmetry energy?

Hard photons from neutron-proton bremsstrahlung in intermediate energy heavy-ion reactions are examined as a potential probe of the nuclear symmetry energy within a transport model. Effects of the symmetry energy on the yields and spectra of hard photons are found to be generally smaller than those due to the currently existing uncertainties of both the in-medium nucleon-nucleon cross sections and the photon production probability in the elementary process pn -> pn gamma. Very interestingly, nevertheless, the ratio of hard photon spectra R-1/2(gamma) from two reactions using isotopes of the same element is not only approximately independent of these uncertainties but also quite sensitive to the symmetry energy. For the head-on reactions of Sn-132 + Sn-124 and Sn-112 + Sn-112 at E-beam/A = 50 MeV, for example, the R-1/2(gamma) displays a rise up to 15% when the symmetry energy is reduced by about 20% at rho = 1.3 rho(0) which is the maximum density reached in these reactions. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamical analysis on heavy-ion fusion reactions near Coulomb barrier

The shell correction is proposed in the improved isospin dependent quantum molecular dynamics (Im-IQMD) model, which plays an important role in heavy-ion fusion reactions near Coulomb barrier. By using the ImIQMD model, the static and dynamical fusion barriers, dynamical barrier distribution in the fusion reactions are analyzed systematically. The fusion and capture excitation functions for a series of reaction systems are calculated and compared with experimental data. It is found that the fusion cross sections for neutron-rich systems increase obviously, and the strong shell effects of two colliding nuclei result in a decrease of the fusion cross sections at the sub-barrier energies. The lowering of the dynamical fusion barriers favors the enhancement of the sub-barrier fusion cross sections, which is related to the nucleon transfer and the neck formation in the fusion reactions.

Shell model study of single-particle and collective structure in neutron-rich Cr isotopes

The structure of neutron-rich Cr isotopes is systematically investigated by using the spherical shell model. The calculations reproduce well the known energy levels for the even-even Cr52-62 and odd-mass Cr53-59 nuclei, and predict a lowering of excitation energies around neutron number N = 40. The calculated B(E2; 2(1)(+) -> 0(1)(+)) systematics shows a pronounced collectivity around N = 40; a similar characteristic behavior has been suggested for Zn and Ge isotopes. Causes for the sudden drop of the 9/2(1)(+) energy in Cr-59 and the appearance of very low 0(2)(+) states around N = 40 are discussed. We also predict a new band with strong collectivity built on the 0(2)(+) state in the N = 40 isotope Cr-64.

Three-body force effect on P-3 F-2 neutron superfluidity in neutron matter, neutron star matter, and neutron stars

We investigate the effect of microscopic three-body forces on the P-3 F-2 neutron superfluidity in neutron matter, beta-stable neutron star matter, and neutron stars by using the BCS theory and the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach. We adopt the Argonne V18 potential supplemented with a microscopic three-body force as the realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction. We have concentrated on studying the three-body force effect on the P-3 F-2 neutron pairing gap. It is found that the three-body force effect considerably enhances the P-3 F-2 neutron superfluidity in neutron star matter and neutron stars.

Single-electron capture in keV Ar15+...18++He collisions

Single-electron capture in 14 keV q(-1) Ar15+...18++He collisions is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Partial cross sections and projectile scattering angle dependencies have been deduced from the target ion recoil momenta measured by the COLTRIMS technique. The comparison with close-coupling results obtained from a two-centre extension of the basis generator method yields good overall agreement, demonstrating the applicability of close-coupling calculations to collision systems involving highly charged ions in charge states up to 18+.

L-shell ionization accompanied by one-electron capture in Cq+, Oq+ (q=2,3)-Ne collisions

The L-shell ionization processes of a Ne gas target associated with single-electron capture by bombardment of Cq+ and Oq+ (q=2,3) are investigated using the projectile-recoil-ion coincidence method in the energy range from 80 to 400 keV/u (v(p)=1.8-4 a.u.). The cross-section ratios (R-k1) of k-fold ionization to single capture are compared with the results for He2+-Ne collisions by Dubois [Phys. Rev. A 36, 2585 (1987)]. All the velocity dependences are quite similar. The ratios increase as the projectile energy increases in the lower-energy region, reach the maxima for projectile energies around E-max=160q(1/2) keV/u, and then decrease at higher energies. These results qualitatively agree with our calculations in terms of the Bohr-Lindhard model within the independent-electron approximation.

(PF2)-P-3 neutron superfluidity in neutron stars and three-body force effect

We investigate the (PF2)-P-3 neutron superfluidity in beta-stable neutron star matter and neutron stars by using the BCS theory and the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach. We adopt the Argonne V-18 potential supplemented with a microscopic three-body force as the realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction. We have concentrated on studying the three-body force effect on the (PF2)-P-3 neutron pairing gap. It is found that the three-body force effect is to enhance remarkably the (PF2)-P-3 neutron superfluidity in neutron star matter and neutron stars.

Progresses of heavy-ion cancer therapy

The status of heavy-ion cancer therapy has been reviewed. The existing and constructing heavy-ion beam facilities for cancer therapy in the world are introduced. The first clinical trials of superficially placed tumor therapy at heavy ion research facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL) are presented.

Rotating wheel filter design and optimization for a uniform depth dose distribution in heavy ion therapy

Treatment planning of heavy-ion radiotherapy involves predictive calculation of not only the physical dose but also the biological dose in a patient body. The goal in designing beam-modulating devices for heavy ion therapy is to achieve uniform biological effects across the spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP). To achieve this, a mathematical model of Bragg peak movement is presented. The parameters of this model have been resolved with Monte Carlo method. And a rotating wheel filter is designed basing on the velocity of the Bragg peak movement.

Neutron production at the heavy ion research facility in Lanzhou

In this work, the neutron radiation field at Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL) was investigated. Total neutron yields, spectra and angular distributions in the bombardment of various thick targets by C-12 and O-18 ions with energies up to 75 MeV/u were obtained using the activation method. The neutron dose equivalent rates of 60 MeV/u O-18 on various thick targets at different angles were measured with a modified A-B remmeter. Our results are compared with those of other reports.

Injection system design for a hadron therapy synchrotron

A synchrotron is designed for tumour therapy with C6+ ions or proton. Its injector is a cyclotron, which delivers C5+ or H-2(+) ions to the synchrotron. After comparing the methods of the single-turn injection, the multi-turn injection and the stripping injection, this paper chooses the stripping injection method. In addition, the concept design of the injection system is presented, in which the synchrotron lattice is optimized.

beta-delayed neutron decay of N-21

The beta-delayed neutron and gamma spectra of neutron-rich nucleus N-21 using beta-gamma and beta-n coincidence measurements were presented in this paper. Thirteen new neutron groups ranging from 0.28 MeV to 4.98 MeV and with a total branching ratio 88.7 +/- 4.2% were observed. One gamma transition among the excited states of O-21 and foury transitions among the excited states of O-20 were identified in the beta decay chain of N-21. The ungated half-life of 83.8 +/- 2.1 ms was also determined for N-21.