The materials dosimetry reference facility

Abstract

A new, high-intensity reference neutron field for reactor dosimetry is in the early stages of operation at the Ford Nuclear Reactor (FNR) at the University of Michigan. Designed and constructed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the facility hosts calibration and validation experiments in support of materials neutron dosimetry for the nuclear power industry and for the metallurgical community engaged in estimating radiation damage in steel. This benchmark is a natural extension of a long-term NIST program to develop standard and reference neutron fields for measurement assurance applications and for testing new detectors and techniques. Field characterization and user operation of the facility is a joint effort by NIST and the Phoenix Memorial Laboratory of the University of Michigan. The materials dosimetry reference facility (NDRF) complements the [sup 235]U cavity fission source at NIST by providing a tenfold increase in fast-neutron fluence, a much larger irradiation volume with modest flux gradients and a neutron spectrum rich in intermediate-energy neutrons. Two spectrum options are available to investigate detector response characteristics and to validate the interpretation of dosimetry measurements.