Foram estudadas as respostas de 76 detectores Geiger-Müller, 4 detectores semicondutores e 34 câmaras de ionização. Muitos deles foram calibrados em feixes de radiação gama (37Cs e 60Co) e alguns foram testados em feixes de radiação beta (90Sr+90Y e 204Tl) e X (N-60, N-80, N-100, N-150). Para os três tipos de radiação, foram obtidos os fatores de calibração dos instrumentos e foi estudada a dependência tanto energética como angular destes detectores. Para radiação gama e beta foi estudada a dependência angular para ângulos de 00 e ± 450. Foram ainda obtidas as curvas da resposta dos instrumentos em relação a uma varredura angular de 00 e ± 900, para radiação gama, beta e X. Também foram analisados os fatores de calibração obtidos para radiação beta em relação à radiação gama. Para radiação gama, dos 66 detectores Geiger-Müller estudados, 24 apresentaram resultados para a dependência energética de acordo com a recomendação internacional da ISO 4037-2 e 56 estão de acordo com a recomendação brasileira da ABNT 10011. As câmaras de ionização e os semicondutores estão de acordo com as recomendações nacional e internacional. Todos os instrumentos apresentaram dependência angular menor que 40%. Para radiação beta, os instrumentos apresentaram resultados insatisfatórios para a dependência energética e angular; Para radiação X, as câmaras de ionização apresentaram resultados para dependência energética de acordo com a recomendação nacional, e a dependência angular foi menor que 40%. / The response of 76 Geiger-Müller detectors, 4 semiconductor detectors and 34 ionization chambers were studied. Many of them were calibrated with gamma radiation beams (37Cs and 60Co), and some of them were tested in beta radiation (90Sr+90Y e 204Tl) and X radiation (N-60, N-80, N-100, N-150) beams. For all three types of radiation, the calibration factors of the instruments were obtained, and the energy and angular dependences were studied. For beta and gamma radiation, the angular dependence was studied for incident radiation angles of 00 and ± 450. The curves of the response of the instruments were obtained over an angle interval of 00 to ± 900, for gamma, beta and X radiations. The calibration factors obtained for beta radiation were compared to those obtained for gamma radiation. For gamma radiation, 24 of the 66 tested Geiger-Müller detectors presented results for the energy dependence according to international recommendation of ISO 4037-2 and 56 were in accordance with the Brazilian ABNT 10011 recommendation. The ionization chambers and semiconductors were in accordance to national and international recommendations. All instruments showed angular dependence less than 40%. For beta radiation, the instruments showed unsatisfactory results for the energy dependence and angular dependence; For X radiation, the ionization chambers presented results for energy dependence according to the national recommendation, and the angular dependence was less than 40%.

Neste trabalho, cristais de TlBr foram crescidos e purificados pelo método de Bridgman Repetido, a partir de sais comerciais de TlBr, e caracterizados para serem usados como detectores de radiação à temperatura ambiente. Para avaliar a eficiência de purificação, estudos da diminuição da concentração de impurezas foram feitos após cada crescimento, analisando as impurezas traço por Espectrometria de Massas com Plasma (ICP-MS). Um decréscimo significativo da concentração de impurezas em função do número de purificações foi observado. Os cristais crescidos apresentaram boa qualidade cristalina de acordo com os resultados de análise por Difração de Raios X (DRX), boa qualidade morfológica e estequiometria adequada de acordo com os resultados de análise por MEV(SE) e MEV(EDS). Um modelo matemático definido por equações diferenciais foi desenvolvido para avaliar as concentrações de impurezas no cristal de TlBr e suas segregações em função do número de crescimentos pelo método de Bridgman. Este modelo pode ser usado para calcular o coeficiente de migração das impurezas e mostrou ser útil para prever o número necessário de repetições de crescimento Bridgman para atingir nível de pureza adequado para assegurar a qualidade do cristal como detector de radiação. Os coeficientes se segregação obtidos são parâmetros importantes para análise microestrutural e análise de transporte de cargas nos cristais detectores. Para avaliar os cristais a serem usados como detectores de radiação, medidas de suas resistividades e resposta à incidência de radiação gama das fontes de 241Am (59,5keV) e 133Ba (81 keV) foram realizadas. Essa resposta foi dependente da pureza do cristal. Os detectores apresentaram um avanço significativo na eficiência de coleta de cargas em função da pureza. / In this work, TlBr crystals have been purified and grown by the Repeated Bridgman method from commercial TlBr materials and characterized to be used as radiation detectors, at room temperature. To evaluate the purification efficiency, studies on the impurity concentration decrease were performed after each growth, analysing the trace impurities by inductively coupled plasma mass.A mathematical model defined by differential equations was developed to evaluate the concentrations of impurities in TlBr crystal and their segregations along this crystalin function of the purification number.This model may be used to calculate the coefficient of impurities migration and it showed to be useful for predicting the number of purification stagesnecessary to achieve the suitable level for ensuring the crystal quality as a radiation detector.The segregation coefficients obtained are important parameters for the analysis of the microstructure and charge transport in detector semiconductor crystals.The grown crystals presented good crystalline quality according to the results of the x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), good morphological quality and proper stoichiometry, in accordance with the results of SEM (SE) and SEM (EDS) analyses. To evaluate the crystals to be used as radiation detectors, measurements of resistivity and their response to the incidence of 241Am (59.5 keV) and 133Ba (81 keV) gamma radiation sources were performed. The quality of the response was dependent on the purity of the crystal. A significant improvement in the charge collection efficiency, in function of the crystal purity, was found.

We analyze an interdiction problem in which a nuclear-material smuggler can traverse the rail and road ports of entry (POEs) along the Mexican and Canadian borders of the United States. Our objective is to determine the optimal locations of a limited number of transparent and non-transparent assets so as to minimize the smuggler’s total probability of evasion, from origin to destination. We choose origins in Mexico and Canada and give the smuggler a diverse set of destinations to choose from. Our analysis aims to provide a complete prioritization and picture of the threat at Mexican and Canadian POEs, leading to insight into practical locations for transparent and non-transparent assets. / text

We analyze an interdiction problem in which a nuclear-material smuggler can traverse multiple transportation networks, wherein each edge has an indigenous probability of evasion. Our objective is to determine the optimal locations of a limited number of radiation detectors at United States ports of entry across multiple networks (maritime, road and rail) so as to minimize the smuggler's total probability of evasion, from origin to destination. We choose geographically diverse potential origins and give the smuggler freedom to move across and between transportation networks. Further, we consider two different models of smuggler behavior in this context. Our analysis aims to provide a complete prioritization and picture of the threat at all ports of entry, leading to insight into good practical locations for detectors. / text

A pulse height tally response expansion (PHRE) method is developed for detectors. By expanding the incident flux at the detector window/surface, a set of response functions is constructed via Monte Carlo estimators for pulse height tallies. B-spline functions are selected to perform the expansion of the response functions as well as for the expansion of the incident flux in photon energy. The method is verified for several incident flux spectra on a CsI(Na) detector. Results are compared to the solutions generated using direct Monte Carlo calculations. It is found that the method is several orders faster than MCNP5 while maintaining paralleled accuracy.

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abstract: Nuclear proliferation concerns have resulted in a desire for radiation detectors with superior energy resolution. In this dissertation a Monte Carlo code is developed for calculating energy resolution in gamma-ray detector materials. The effects of basic material properties such as the bandgap and plasmon resonance energy are studied using a model for inelastic electron scattering based on electron energy-loss spectra. From a simplified "toy model" for a generic material, energy resolution is found to oscillate as the plasmon resonance energy is increased, and energy resolution can also depend on the valence band width. By incorporating the model developed here as an extension of the radiation transport code Penelope, photon processes are also included. The enhanced version of Penelope is used to calculate the Fano factor and average electron-hole pair energy in semiconductors silicon, gallium arsenide, zinc telluride, and scintillators cerium fluoride and lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO). If the effects of the valence band density-of-states and phonon scattering are removed, the calculated energy-resolution for these materials is fairly close to that for a toy model with a uniform electron energy-loss probability density function. This implies that the details of the electron cascade may in some cases have only a marginal effect on energy resolution. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Physics 2011

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