Responses of a 6LiI Bonner Sphere Spectrometer using the Monte Carlo codes PHITS and MCNPX

• Published in: Applied radiation and isotopes Vol. 200; p. 110976
• Main Authors: Santos Oliveira, Rafael, Batista da Silva, Juliana, Machado Mendes, Lucas Moacir, de Sousa Lacerda, Marco Aurélio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2023
• Subjects: Bonner sphere spectrometer; MCNP; Monte Carlo; Neutron spectrometry; PHITS; Response function; Response function; PHITS; Neutron spectrometry; Monte Carlo; MCNP; Bonner sphere spectrometer
• ISSN: 0969-8043; 1872-9800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2023.110976

The response functions (RFs) of a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) with a 6LiI thermal neutron detector were calculated using the Monte Carlo codes PHITS (version 3.26) and MCNPX (version 2.7.0), with their own default nuclear data libraries, and physics models. RFs were compared with other published data, obtained for the same spectrometer using the MCNP6.1 code with its own physics models. A discussion on the influence of using different nuclear data libraries and physics models using these codes/versions is analyzed.
•Response functions (RFs) of a BSS with a 6LiI thermal neutron detector were calculated with the codes PHITS and MCNPX.•Use of the default nuclear data libraries, and physics models of the codes.•RFs were compared with other published data.•RFs obtained can be used for neutron spectrometry in workplaces.