PTB is the German national institute for science and technology and the highest technical authority for metrology and certain sectors of safety engineering. It operates under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Economics and has 1600 employees.
Within Division 6 "Ionising Radiation", the Department 6.4 of "Ion Accelerators and Reference Radiation Fields" operates two particle accelerators for the production of charged particle, neutron and high-energy photon fields at PIAF (PTB Ion Accelerator Facility). One of the main tasks is the production of neutron reference fields (ISO) for the characterisation and calibration of radiation detectors. The measurement and calibration capabilities of the Department 6.4 are included in the BIPM key comparison database (KCDB).
The TCC CV-28 variable-energy cyclotron provides beams of protons (< 19 MeV, < 80 μA), deuterons (< 13.5 MeV, < 80 μA) and alpha particles (< 28 MeV, < 20 μA). Complementary, the same ion beams are available with energies up to 3.75 MeV in the low energy region and with similar currents from a Van de Graaff linear accelerator. Experiments with almost mono-energetic neutrons in the energy range from 20 keV to 20 MeV are performed in the centre of a very large experimental hall in open geometry. A multi-detector Time-of-Flight (TOF) spectrometer is connected to the main beam line of the cyclotron. This instrument offers unique opportunities for the measurement of angular differential elastic and inelastic neutron scattering cross sections as well as neutron emission cross sections by detection of the scattered neutrons.
Relevant experience
PTB Department 6.4 brings in knowledge in the production and characterization of neutron beams, calibration of detectors and measurement of cross sections for neutron-induced reactions, in particular for elastic and inelastic scattering, neutron-induced activation and neutron-induced fission.
Role and main tasks
Within WP4, PTB provides access to its accelerator facility and supports experiments of external users by its measurement capabilities and the expertise of its staff members.
Scientific and technical personnel involved
- Dr. S. Röttger: Nuclear physicist with 10 year of extended experience in neutron metrology and gamma spectrometry at CEA and PTB. Member of the working group "Neutron Metrology". His scientific exepertise is documentend in about 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Dr. R. Nolte: Head of the working group "Neutron Metrology" and specialist for the characterisation of neutron fields with 20 years of experience in the neutron metrology and measurements of cross section for neutron induced reactions. His scientific exepertise is documentend in about 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals.