Design and calibration of a passive detector for separating neutron, proton and alpha particles in mixed radiation fields

In this study, calibration process was carried out for deigned new CR-39 nuclear track detector for protons, neutrons and alpha particles separately under the same etching condition. In order to aim this purpose, americium-beryllium standard source (241Am-Be) and Plexiglas phantom for neutron irradiation, brass collimators and americium standard source (241Am) for alpha irradiation and the accelerator and Van de Graff accelerator for proton irradiation were employed. Sodium hydroxide solution 6.25N at the temperature of 85 °C was used for CR-39 etching. Considering obtained results, different detection shields were designed to distinguish between fast neutron particles, thermal neutrons, albedo neutrons, protons and alpha in mixed radiation fields. Moreover, both the contribution of each particle and the ability of the designed detector to discriminate energy of charged particles were found.