Applied Radiation and Isotopes最新文献

{"title":"Tailoring optical and radiation shielding properties of manganese lead borate glasses via silver iodide modification","authors":"Islam M. Nabil ,&nbsp;Ashraf A. Abul-Magd ,&nbsp;Hesham M.H. Zakaly ,&nbsp;Sameh A. Elhameed ,&nbsp;Nancy N. Elewa ,&nbsp;Shaaban M. Shaaban ,&nbsp;Islam N. Fathy","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112530","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the structural and physical modifications induced by the incorporation of silver iodide (AgI) into a borate glass matrix. A glass series with the general formula ((75-x) B₂O₃ + 20PbO + 5MnO₂ + xAgI), where 0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0 mol% in increments of 0.5 mol%, was synthesized. The glass samples were examined using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), optical spectroscopy, density measurements, and other analytical tools. Furthermore, the radiation shielding proficiency of the investigated glass system was evaluated through Monte Carlo simulations and Phy-X software, focusing on parameters such as the linear attenuation coefficient (μ), mass attenuation coefficient (μ_m), half value layer (HV), etc. Experimental results revealed that increasing the AgI content from 0 to 2.0 mol% led to a 7.7% linear increase in density, rising from 3.12 to 3.36 g/cm³, while the molar volume decreased from 32.4 to 31.1 cm³/mol. FT-IR analysis indicated that AgI acts as a lattice modifier, facilitating the conversion of BO₄ units to BO₃ units and subsequently increasing the concentration of non-bridging oxygens (NBOs). These structural changes, alongside heightened internal lattice disorder, resulted in a reduction of 3.04% of the optical band gap from 2.96 to 2.87 eV. Optical spectra further demonstrated that Ag⁺ ions influence the coordination of manganese, favoring the transition of Mn²⁺ ions from tetrahedral to octahedral sites. Shielding analysis confirmed that the linear attenuation coefficient follows the order: BPbMnAg0.0 &lt; BPbMnAg0.5 &lt; BPbMnAg1.0 &lt; BPbMnAg1.5 &lt; BPbMnAg2.0. Additionally, calculated effective removal cross-sections indicated that increasing AgI concentrations significantly enhance fast neutron removal capacity. These findings suggest that AgI-doped manganese lead borate glasses are highly effective candidates for advanced photon and neutron shielding applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 112530"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147387925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Indoor radon gas measurements and its cancer risk using radon-scout detector","authors":"Nada Farhan Kadhim ,&nbsp;Yasser Ayad Kadhim ,&nbsp;Hala Adnan Ahmed ,&nbsp;Mohammed jawad Kadhim ,&nbsp;Hyam Nazmy Badr Khalaf ,&nbsp;A. Ashour ,&nbsp;Mostafa Y.A. Mostafa","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, radon (²²²Rn) gas concentration has been investigated in the indoor air of selected 30 homes in Baghdad city to estimate the Lung cancer risk. An active technique, the radon-scout detector, is used. The detector was placed in the middle of the living room at a height of nearly 1 m. The measuring time for each house is 7 days (166 h). The radon-scout detector measures the average exposure, maximum exposure, minimum exposure, temperature, and relative humidity (%). Results show that the average exposure in all homes is in the range from 14 ± 3 to 53 ± 4.9 Bq m⁻³. The maximum exposure is 307 Bq m⁻³, which is detected at houses1 (h1), the minimum exposure is zero, which is detected at all houses, the relative humidity ranges between 73% and 28%, the temperature ranges between 32 and 13 °C. All the estimated average radon exposures within the global limits of 200-300 Bq m⁻³, except one reading detected at h1 (307 Bq m⁻³), were slightly higher than the recommended limits. Based on measured results, the maximum potential energy of alpha concentration (PEAC) is 5.724 WLM estimated at h9, the exposure to radon progeny (EP) is ranged from 0.0623 to 0.235 WLM y⁻¹, the annual absorbed dose rate (D) is ranged from 0.35 to 1.34 × 10⁻⁶ mSv y⁻¹, the annual effective dose rate (ED) is ranged from 0.35 to 3.2 mSv y⁻¹, and the lung cancer risk (LCR) is ranged between 15.1 and 57.8. Finally, it can be concluded that houses in Baghdad city are safe from radon gas as a second cause of lung cancer worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 112537"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147353601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SMDRnet: Saliency multiscale dense residual network for multimodal medical image fusion","authors":"Jun Fu,&nbsp;Jie Yang,&nbsp;Gengyu Ge","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Medical image fusion methods can provide more comprehensive and precise details about the internal structures of the human body by integrating data from multiple medical images, thereby helping doctors diagnose diseases more accurately. Meanwhile, medical fusion images can help doctors better observe and process diseased tissues, reduce the occurrence of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis, and lower medical risks and costs. Furthermore, medical image fusion technology can also serve as a teaching tool to help medical students better understand and master relevant knowledge.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>However, current medical image fusion algorithms have drawbacks such as information loss, edge blurring, algorithm complexity, and poor real-time performance, which limit their applications.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In response to these deficiencies, this article proposes a saliency multiscale dense residual network for multimodal medical image fusion. Firstly, add the two original medical images together, and then input them into a deep convolutional neural network to extract saliency feature maps. Next, a multiscale dense residual network reconstructs the image, followed by color transformation to produce the final fusion result.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The experimental results show that the fusion images of the proposed algorithm have richer details, higher color fidelity, and better objective performance compared to the reference algorithms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 112556"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147387933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electron beam and roasting treatments of cottonseed meal: Implications for gossypol content, rumen degradability parameters and fattening performance in lambs","authors":"Farzad Ghanbari ,&nbsp;Hormoz Mansouri ,&nbsp;Nader Papi ,&nbsp;Taghi Ghoorchi ,&nbsp;Parvin Shawrang ,&nbsp;Noormohammad TorbatiNejad ,&nbsp;Davood Ebrahimi Meymand ,&nbsp;Esmaeil Esmaeili Rad","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112484","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112484","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the nutritional value of cottonseed meal (CSM) processed by roasting (125 °C for 30 min) and electron beam (EB) irradiation (75 kGy), using both <em>in situ</em> and <em>in vivo</em> approaches. Ruminal degradation kinetics were assessed via the nylon bag technique. A fattening trial was conducted using 18 male Shal lambs (32.44 ± 5.20 kg) in a completely randomized design (CRD). The lambs were assigned to three groups (n = 6), each receiving one of the experimental diets (treatments) containing untreated CSM (control), heat-treated (roasted) CSM (RCSM), or EB-irradiated CSM (ICSM). Both processing methods reduced the effective ruminal degradability of dry matter and crude protein at outflow rates of 0.02, 0.05, and 0.08 h⁻¹ (P &lt; 0.05); however, EB irradiation was more effective. Blood parameters remained unaffected (P &gt; 0.05). Notably, lambs fed ICSM exhibited higher feed intake (P = 0.02), daily weight gain (P = 0.03), total weight gain (P = 0.03), and final body weight (P = 0.04) compared with those receiving RCSM. Feed conversion ratio showed a favorable trend (P = 0.08). Additionally, hot and cold carcass weights (P = 0.02, P = 0.04) and eye muscle width (P = 0.01) were greater in the ICSM group. These results suggest that EB irradiation improves ruminal protein protection and enhances growth performance and carcass quality in fattening lambs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 112484"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146161829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Radiometric characterization of the Irati Formation at Saltinho city, São Paulo State, Brazil","authors":"Gabrielle Roveratti,&nbsp;Daniel Marcos Bonotto","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and gamma-ray spectrometry are essential analytical techniques in geological and geochemical studies, providing valuable insights into the composition, origin, and evolution of sedimentary and igneous formations. In Brazil, these methods have been increasingly applied to identify hydrocarbon-bearing regions and to characterize lithological variations across sedimentary basins. The Irati Formation, in particular, represents one of the primary hydrocarbon-generating sequences in the Paraná Basin, comprising organic-rich shales and carbonates that are capable of producing oil under suitable thermal conditions. In this context, the integration of geochemical and geophysical analyses, supported by modern computational tools, allows for a more precise interpretation of geological processes. The results revealed strong geochemical partitioning between carbonate and siliciclastic fractions, identified a hybrid lithofacies (\"limestone-cucuruto\"), while the K/U ratios confirmed a mineralogy poor in K-feldspars and dominated by carbonate phases. The present study applied statistical and multivariate methods using the Python programming language, enabling robust and reproducible analyses of geochemical data. This approach enhanced the understanding of the geochemical behavior of the Irati Formation, contributing to the assessment of its hydrocarbon potential within the basin's geological framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 112491"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146187753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pure fungal melanin: green bioproduction, characterization, niosomal formulation, radiolabeling, and in vivo biodistribution as a probe for photothermal therapy of cancer","authors":"Zainab S. Nasr ,&nbsp;Yasmeen A. Hasanien ,&nbsp;Mahmoud A. Mosleh ,&nbsp;Mohamed H. Aboumanei","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studying the biosynthesis of melanin from biological sources is essential due to the expanding demand for natural materials in various industries. The fungus <em>Aspergillus luchuensis</em> in the current study developed the extracellular melanin pigment. <em>Aspergillus luchuensis</em> AUMC 16931 was isolated from dye factory wastewater and identified by 18S-rRNA gene as the most potent one from 5 isolates. Optimized conditions boosted melanin production, and the pigment was encapsulated into niosomes using the ether injection method, forming stable, lipid-based nanocarriers. These melanin-loaded niosomes (MN) were tagged with technetium-99m (^99mTc) to track their journey in living organisms. By injecting them directly into tumors in mice, their distribution was studied, revealing impressive tumor accumulation and retention. These results suggest that melanin-loaded niosomes hold great promise as a tool for photothermal cancer therapy, using targeted heat to combat tumors effectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 112475"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146187639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Limit test for cobalt-60 in carbon-14 urea capsules by liquid scintillation counting","authors":"Yadong Wang ,&nbsp;Yi Wang ,&nbsp;Xiongxin Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112488","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112488","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A new method to determine the ⁶⁰Co impurity in ¹⁴C-urea capsules by liquid scintillation counting (LSC) has been developed. In this method, the counting signals produced by the Compton electrons of ⁶⁰Co is used for ⁶⁰Co analysis by selecting an appropriate region of interest in the LSC spectrum of the ¹⁴C-urea capsule sample. The spectral interferences caused by the high-activity ¹⁴C and the quench effect can be effectively eliminated by using a fixed sample preparation procedure. This method was validated by standard addition method using the commercial ¹⁴C-urea capsules and the results of ⁶⁰Co activity are in good agreement with the expected values. The sensitivity of this method is calculated as ≤0.0064% for ⁶⁰Co content and sufficiently competent for the limit test of &lt;0.1% radio-impurity (including ⁶⁰Co) in ¹⁴C-urea capsules. The method provides a practicable guidance for the radionuclidic purity test of ¹⁴C-urea capsules using LSC and can be directly applied in the routine quality test of ¹⁴C-urea capsules.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 112488"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146187640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards individualised CT protocols: Stratifying radiation dose by DLP, weight and sex in North Indian healthcare facilities","authors":"Maajid Mohi Ud Din Malik ,&nbsp;Mansour M. Alqahtani ,&nbsp;Ibrahim Hadadi ,&nbsp;Alamin Musa ,&nbsp;Abdulaziz A. Alshihri ,&nbsp;Omer Loaz ,&nbsp;Samih Kajoak ,&nbsp;Moram A. Fagiry ,&nbsp;Mayeen Uddin Khandaker ,&nbsp;Mohammed Ali Alshehri ,&nbsp;Mustafa Mahmoud","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112481","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background and objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Regardless of patient characteristics, current CT imaging techniques usually use standardised radiation settings, which could lead to needless radiation exposure, especially in smaller or lighter patients. Based on unique patient characteristics, this one-size-fits-all method falls short of optimizing the crucial balance between radiation dose and diagnostic image quality. The clinical problem addressed is the lack of evidence-based, patient-specific CT protocols that consider body habitus and sex-related anatomical differences to minimize radiation exposure while preserving diagnostic accuracy. This study aimed to quantify the relationships between radiation dose, as assessed by dose-length product (DLP), patient body weight, and sex across different CT scanner models, to develop individualised protocol recommendations for optimal radiation dose management.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A retrospective analysis was conducted on CT scan data of 900 adult patients who underwent head, chest, or abdomen-pelvis CT examinations across 10 different multi-detector CT scanners. The correlation between dose-length product (DLP) and body weight was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Mean dose-length product values were compared between males and females using an independent-samples &lt;em&gt;t&lt;/em&gt;-test and across CT scanner models using a one-way ANOVA. Linear regression analysis was performed to establish predictive relationships between DLP and patient characteristics, with facility-specific correction factors developed for dose standardisation. Sex-specific regression models were created, and facility-specific correction factors were calculated to standardize dose comparisons across patient populations.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We found a strong positive correlation between DLP and patient body weight (r = 0.61, p &lt; 0.001), and this correlation varied across CT scanner models (r = 0.53-0.71). Mean dose-length product was markedly higher in male patients than in females (p = 0.002). A range of DLP differences was noted for the same examination type across multiple CT scanners (up to 46% difference in mean DLP). In some scanners, dose-length product &lt;strong&gt;values exceeded the recommended diagnostic reference levels&lt;/strong&gt;. Mean DLP values were 758 ± 292, 524 ± 232, and 893 ± 419 mGy cm for head, chest, and abdomen-pelvis CT, respectively. Corresponding mean effective doses were 1.68 ± 0.58, 7.54 ± 2.98, and 14.05 ± 6.01 mSv. Sex-specific regression equations were established: Male dose-length product = −1134.33 + 27.13 × Weight; Female dose-length product = −1166.33 + 27.24 × Weight (both p &lt; 0.001). Weight-stratified analysis showed DLP variations of 15-20% across weight categories (45-60 kg, 60-75 kg, 75-90 kg). After weight normalization, sex-adjusted DLP values showed 8.2% higher doses in males (p = 0.002).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Major differences are fou","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 112481"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146177657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization design of tritium target for compact DT neutron generator","authors":"Siqi Liu ,&nbsp;Shiwei Jing ,&nbsp;Fuquan Jia ,&nbsp;Sijia Zhou ,&nbsp;Zebin Li ,&nbsp;Yue Sun ,&nbsp;Yuxuan Gu ,&nbsp;Hailong Xu ,&nbsp;Jiayu Li ,&nbsp;Shangrui Jiang ,&nbsp;Tian Zhang ,&nbsp;Guofeng Qu ,&nbsp;Zhihua Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Neutron generator is a small accelerator neutron source, and its yield is limited by the heating effect caused by the increase of ion beam intensity. The high beam power will cause the target to overheat, and hydrogen will be released after exceeding the limit. A water-cooled target system was designed in order to improve the neutron yield and control the target temperature below the hydrogen release temperature (considered to be 200 °C). The parts of the target film, substrate and cooling system were studied. A large number of solid-fluid coupling calculations and heat transfer analysis were used to determine the final optimized target system structure. A copper-molybdenum alloy substrate was selected and a cooling system was placed. The target film was coated with a magnesium target Ni protective layer, which effectively reduced the irradiation damage of the magnesium film while increasing the yield. The yield of the optimized DT neutron generator reaches 10¹¹n/s when the ion beam intensity is 500 μA and the incident energy is 200 keV, and the operating temperature is not more than 200 °C. This avoids the risk of tritium loss in the target due to hydrogen release.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 112442"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146008612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experimental and Monte Carlo study of semiconductor detectors response to 2.45 MeV–3.95 MeV neutrons at NCSR “Demokritos”","authors":"K. Kaperoni ,&nbsp;M. Diakaki ,&nbsp;M. Kokkoris ,&nbsp;C. Weiss ,&nbsp;E. Griesmayer ,&nbsp;J. Melbinger ,&nbsp;V. Michalopoulou ,&nbsp;T. Fragner ,&nbsp;R. Vlastou ,&nbsp;M. Axiotis ,&nbsp;S. Chasapoglou","doi":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112471","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apradiso.2026.112471","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Neutron detectors play a vital role in radiation applications, particularly in nuclear, high-energy physics experiments and fusion facilities, where accurate neutron spectrum measurements and flux monitoring are essential. In fusion research, detecting 2.45 MeV neutrons, produced via D–D fusion, is especially important, offering key information on the progress of the reaction. However, accurate neutron measurements at energies below 6 MeV remain challenging due to high background levels, low detector efficiencies, and the fact that many reaction channels are closed. Among the various detection technologies, semiconductor detectors based on diamond and silicon carbide (SiC) are highly favored thanks to their excellent energy resolution and ability to operate in harsh environmental conditions. A common approach in semiconductor neutron detection involves conversion layers (e.g., LiF or hydrogen) to enable detection via secondary charged particles such as tritons, alpha particles, or proton recoils. In this work, we investigate and compare the response functions of a diamond and a SiC detector to fast neutrons at 2.45 MeV, 2.95 MeV, 3.45 MeV, and 3.95 MeV, using direct detection through elastic scattering without the use of conversion layers. For this purpose, a 50 <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>m single-crystalline diamond and a 50 <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>m SiC detectors were exposed to quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams at NCSR “Demokritos” in Athens. The resulting experimental spectra were compared with Geant4 simulations to validate the measurements and to extract the detection efficiencies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8096,"journal":{"name":"Applied Radiation and Isotopes","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 112471"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146103412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}