At present, the only method for assessing the fusion power throughput of a reactor relies on the absolute measurement of 14 MeV neutrons produced in the D-T nuclear reaction. For ITER and DEMO, however, at least another independent measurement of the fusion power is required. The 5He* nucleus produced in the D-T fusion reaction has two de-excitation channels. The most likely is its disintegration in an alpha particle and a neutron, D + T -> 5He* -> ? + n, by means of the nuclear force. There is however also an electromagnetic channel, with a branching ratio ~10-5, which leads to the emission of a 17 MeV gamma-ray, i.e. D + T -> 5He* -> 5He + ?. The detection of this gamma-ray emission could serve as an independent method to determine the fusion power. In order to enable 17 MeV gamma-ray measurements, there is need for a detector with some coarse energy discrimination and, most importantly, capable of working in a neutron-rich environment. Conventional inorganic scintillators, such as LaBr3(Ce), have comparable efficiencies to neutrons and gamma-rays and they cannot be used for 17 MeV gamma-ray measurements without significant neutron shielding. In order to overcome this limitation, we here propose the conceptual design of a gamma-ray counter with a variable energy threshold based on the Cherenkov effect and designed to operate in intense neutron fields. The detector geometry has been optimized using Geant4 so to achieve a gamma-ray to neutron efficiency ratio better than 105. The design is based on a gas Cherenkov detector and the photo-sensor is still to investigated.
Investigation of a Cherenkov-based gamma-ray diagnostic for measurement of 17 MeV gamma-rays from T(D, gamma)5 He in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas
Putignano O.; Croci G.; Muraro A.; Cancelli S.; Giacomelli L.; Gorini G.; Grosso G.; Kushoro M.H.; Marcer G.; Nocente M.; Rebai M.; Tardocchi M.
ID | 464945 |
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DOI | 10.1088/1748-0221/17/02/C02021 |
PRODUCT TYPE | Journal Article |
LAST UPDATE | 2022-11-18T11:24:35Z |
EU PROJECT | EUROfusion |
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TITLE | Implementation of activities described in the Roadmap to Fusion during Horizon 2020 through a Joint programme of the members of the EUROfusion consortium |
FOUNDING PROGRAM | H2020 |