Speaker
Description
Detection and spectrometry measurements of mixed-radiation fields of high fluence and harsh radiation environments present challenges of detection selectivity and radiation damage. Silicon Carbide (SiC) as semiconductor sensor material exhibits particular advantages [1-2] of high radiation hardness, stable and high temperature operation. Available first as single pad devices, SiC pixel sensor has been newly fabricated [3] attached to Timepix3 readout chip into a position-sensitive and tracking detector used in miniaturized radiation camera MiniPIX-Timepix3 SiC [4]. The response in terms of energy-sensitive particle tracking and particle-type recognition is examined and evaluated in well-defined reference radiation fields – such as low-energy protons (8-31 MeV) [4], tunable mono-energetic fast neutrons in selected energy regions in the range 0.5 – 18 MeV produced from D-D, D-T and p-T reactions (at the Van-de-Graaff light ion accelerator, IEAP CTU Prague), energetic light ions (at MedAustron, Wiener Neustadt), energetic heavy ions (at the NSRL radiation facility, Brookhaven Nat. Lab.), protons (at the light ion cyclotron, NPI Rez) and energetic 3-22 MeV electrons (at the Microtron accelerator, NPI Rez) – see Figs 1-2. In this work we examine and describe the detection response in wide-range and resolving power of particle-type discrimination. The results, calibrations performed and developed methodology enable the use of SiC as a particle tracking and imaging detector for application in complex and harsh radiation fields produced at particle accelerators, nuclear reactors, radiotherapy facilities, radionuclide-source environments including neutrons.
References
[1] M. De Napoli, et al., Front. Phys. 10 (2022) 898833
[2] F. H. Ruddy, et al., IEEE NSS 69 (2022) 792-803
[3] B. Zatko, et al., JINST 17 (2022), C12005
[4] A. Novak et al JINST 18 (2023) C11004
Acknowledgments
Work at Advacam was performed in frame of ESA Contract DPE 4000130480/20/NL/GLC/hh. The teams of IEAP CTU and STUBA at the experiments at the IEAP CTU were supported by Project Danube Strategy 2022 No. DS-FR-22-0012.
