Quantum Beam Sci., Volume 9, Issue 2 (June 2025) – 8 articles

By way of studying the difference of the proton and neutron distributions in isotopes, isotones and isobars, we used the results of theoretical calculations obtained from the scattering of protons and electrons on nuclei. To calculate the differential cross section of proton scattering, an expression was obtained for the distorted-wave formfactor of the nucleus, which, using the mathematical method proposed by us, is expressed through the plane-wave Born formfactor. In addition, using the data for elastic scattering of electrons on nuclei, the average characteristic parameters of ${}_{20}{}^{40}Ca, {}_{20}{}^{48}Ca$, ${}_{24}{}^{52}Cr$, ${}_{24}{}^{54}Cr$, ${}_{26}{}^{54}Fe$, ${}_{28}{}^{58}Ni, {}_{28}{}^{60}Ni$ nuclei were determined. In this work, for calculating the differential cross section of the elastic scattering of electrons on spherical nuclei, the Fermi function was chosen as a trial function of the proton density distribution. In the calculations, the pole method was used to solve the Born integral of the target nucleus formfactor. Based on an analysis of the calculations of the differential cross section of the elastic scattering of electrons and the calculations of the differential cross section of the scattering of protons on the same nuclei, the main patterns of behavior of the general characteristics of nuclei, such as the root mean square radius (RMS), diffuseness, and the isotopic and isotonic shifts of parameters, were determined. For the ${}_{20}{}^{48}Ca$ nucleus, the radial dependence of the nucleon density distribution on the center of the nucleus, as well as the ratio of proton to neutron densities, have been studied. Changes in the distribution of densities of protons and neutrons with the addition of two neutrons to nucleus ${}_{24}{}^{52}Cr$ as well as changes in the distributions of densities of protons and neutrons when two neutrons are replaced by protons in isobars ${}_{26}{}^{54}Fe-{}_{24}{}^{54}Cr$ have been studied. The results of changes in the distribution of densities of protons and neutrons were justified on the basis of the shell model of the nucleus, using characteristic parameters determined for these nuclei from elastic electron scattering. A joint analysis of experimental work on the elastic scattering of electrons and protons on spherical nuclei leads to the conclusion that the distribution patterns of protons and neutrons differ from each other. In particular, this follows from calculations of the RMS of proton, neutron and nucleon distributions. Full article

Serial crystallography is a rapidly advancing experimental technology that has seen significant development in recent years. This technique enables the continuous delivery of a series of protein crystal samples to the X-ray beam, allowing for the collection of diffraction data from a large number of crystals at ambient temperature. Despite its advancements, serial crystallography still possesses considerable potential for further development within synchrotron radiation platforms. Currently, several challenges hinder the progress of this technology, including the preparation of numerous microcrystal samples, methods for sample delivery, data acquisition efficiency, and data processing techniques. The device introduced in this paper is designed to facilitate serial crystallographic experiments at the synchrotron radiation station, employing electrospinning in the vacuum cavity to reduce the average flux, mitigate the effects of air ionization on the Taylor cone, and enhance the stability of Taylor cone during the data acquisition process. The diffraction pattern of lysozyme crystals was successfully acquired with this device at the beamlines of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF). Full article

Monte Carlo simulation relies on pseudo-random number generators. In general, the quality of these generators can have a direct impact on simulation results. The GATE toolbox, widely adopted in radiotherapy, offers three generators from which users can choose: Mersenne Twister, Ranlux-64, and James-Random. In this study, we used these generators to simulate the head of a medical linear accelerator for 6 MV photons in order to assess their potential impact on the results obtained in radiotherapy simulation. Simulations were conducted for four different field openings. The simulations included a linac head model and a water phantom, all components of the head of the medical linear accelerator, and a water phantom placed at a distance of 100 cm from the electron source. Statistical analysis based on normal probability and Bland–Altman plots were used to compare dose distributions in the voxelized water phantom obtained by each generator. Experimental data (dose profiles, percentage dose at depth, and other dosimetric parameters) were measured using an appropriate quality assurance protocol for comparison with the different simulations. The evaluation of dosimetric criteria shows significant variations, particularly in the physical penumbra of the dose profile for large fields. The gamma index analysis highlights significant distinctions in generator performance. In all simulations, the average time of the primary particle generation rate, number of tracks, and steps in the simulation of different random number generators showed differences. The Mersenne Twister generator was distinguished by high performance in several aspects, particularly in terms of execution time, primary particle production, track and step production flow rate, and coming closer to the experimental results. Regarding computational time, the simulation using the Mersenne Twister generator was about 18% faster than the one using the James-Random generator and 27% faster than the simulation using the Ranlux-64 generator. This suggests that this generator is the most reliable for accurate and fast modeling of the medical linear accelerator head for 6 MV energy. Full article

Cracks due to stress corrosion cracking in stainless steels are becoming a problem not only in boiling water reactors but also in pressurized water reactor nuclear plants. Stress improvement measures have been implemented mainly for large-bore welded piping, but in the case of small-bore welded piping, post-welding stress improvement measures are often not possible due to dimensional restrictions, etc. Therefore, knowing the actual welding residual stresses of small-bore welded piping regardless of reactor type is essential for the safe and stable operation of nuclear power stations, but there are only a limited number of examples of measuring the residual stresses. In this study, austenitic stainless steel pipes with an outer diameter of 100 mm and a wall thickness of 11.1 mm were butt-welded. The residual stresses were measured by the strain scanning method using neutrons. Furthermore, to obtain detailed residual stresses near the penetration bead where the maximum stress is generated, the residual stresses near the inner surface of the weld were measured using the double-exposure method (DEM) with hard X-rays of synchrotron radiation. A method using a cross-correlation algorithm was proposed to determine the accurate diffraction angle from the complex diffraction patterns from the coarse grains, dendritic structures, and plastic zones. A quantum beam hybrid method (QBHM) was proposed that uses the circumferential residual stresses obtained by neutrons and the residual stresses obtained by the double-exposure method in a complementary use. The residual stress map of welded piping measured using the QBHM showed an area where the axial tensile residual stress exists from the neighborhood of the penetration bead toward the inside of the welded metal. This result could explain the occurrence of stress corrosion cracking in the butt-welded piping. A finite element analysis of the same butt-welded piping was performed and its results were compared. There is also a difference between the simulation results of residual stress using the finite element method and the measurement results using the QBHM. This difference is because the measured residual stress map also includes the effect of the stress of each crystal grain based on elastic anisotropy, that is, residual micro-stress. Full article

Based on the cold-fluid hydrodynamic description, the interaction of a non-relativistic charged-particle beam with crossed magnetic fields is studied. This process results in the transfer of energy/momentum from the field to the beam, which, in turn, enhances the beam’s own electrostatic oscillations. This paper investigates the development features of such coupled axial and radial oscillations near resonant frequencies. The necessary conditions for the resonant amplification of this beam’s natural oscillations are identified. Such a process may be used for the creation of effective radiation sources. Full article

This study investigates the effects of 60 keV proton irradiation on BaTiO₃-doped YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (YBCO) films using masks with micron-scale holes to create controlled defect patterns aimed at enhancing superconducting properties. Contrary to expectations, masked irradiation resulted in a reduction in the critical current density (J_c), while unmasked irradiation demonstrated improvement, consistent with previous studies. Notably, no improvement was observed at 2 T around liquid nitrogen temperature. These observations highlight the challenges of employing micron-scale masks in defect engineering and underscore the need for further refinement to achieve the desired performance enhancement. Insights from this study contribute to advancing defect engineering techniques for improving YBCO’s performance in high-field applications, including fusion energy systems. Full article

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a specialized cancer treatment that leverages the high absorption cross-section of boron for thermal neutrons. When boron captures neutrons, it undergoes a nuclear reaction that produces alpha particles and lithium ions, which have high linear energy transfer (LET) and can effectively damage nearby cancer cells while minimizing harm to surrounding healthy tissues. This targeted approach makes BNCT particularly advantageous for treating tumors situated in sensitive areas where traditional radiation therapies may pose risks to critical structures. In this study, the deuterium–deuterium (DD) neutron generator, specifically the DD-110 model (neutron yield Y = 1 × 10¹⁰ n/s), served as the neutron source for BNCT. The fast neutrons produced by this generator were thermalized to the epithermal energy range using a beam-shaping assembly (BSA). The BSA was designed with a moderator composed of 32 cm of MgF₂, a reflector made of 76 cm of Pb, and filters including 3 cm of Pb and 1.52 cm of Bi. A collimator, featuring a 10 cm high Pb cone frustum with a 12 cm aperture diameter, was also employed to optimize beam characteristics. The entire system’s performance was modeled and simulated using the MCNPX code, focusing on parameters both in-air and in-phantom to evaluate its efficacy. The findings indicated that the BSA configuration yielded an optimal thermal-to-epithermal flux ratio (${\phi }_{ther}$/${\phi }_{epth}$) of 0.19, a current-to-flux ratio of 0.87, and a gamma dose-to-epithermal flux ratio of 1.71 × 10⁻¹³ Gy/cm², all aligning with IAEA recommendations. The simulated system showed acceptable ratios for ${\phi }_{ther}$/${\phi }_{epth}$, gamma dose to epithermal flux, and beam collimation. Notably, the advantage depth was recorded at 5.5 cm, with an advantage ratio of 2.29 and an advantage depth dose rate of 4.1 × 10⁻⁴ Gy.Eq/min. The epithermal neutron flux of D110 exceeded D109, but D110’s fast neutron contamination increased ~6.6 times. On the other hand, D110’s gamma contamination decreased by 30%. Based on these findings, optimizing neutron source characteristics is crucial for BNCT efficacy. Future research should focus on developing advanced neutron generators that balance these factors, aiming to produce optimal neutron yields for enhanced treatment outcomes and broader applicability. Full article

Neutron beams, being electrically neutral and highly penetrating, offer unique advantages for the irradiation of biological species such as plants, seeds, and microorganisms. We comprehensively investigated the potential of neutron irradiation for inducing genetic mutations by using simulations of spallation, reactor, and compact neutron sources based on J-PARC BL10, the JRR-3 TNRF, and KUANS. We analyzed neutron flux, energy deposition rates, and Linear Energy Transfer (LET) distributions. The KUANS simulation demonstrated the highest dose rate of 17 Gy/h, significantly surpassing that obtained at BL10, due to the large solid angle achieved with optimal sample placement. The findings highlight KUANS’s suitability for efficiently inducing specific genetic mutations and neutron breeding, particularly for inducing targeted mutations in biological samples, also on account of its LET range of 20–70 keV/μm. Our results emphasize the importance of choosing neutron sources based on LET requirements to maximize mutation induction efficiency. This research study shows the potential of compact neutron sources such as KUANS for effective biological irradiation and neutron breeding, offering a viable alternative to larger facilities. The neutron filters used at BL10 and the TNRF effectively exclude low-energy neutrons while keeping the high-LET component. The neutron capture reaction, ¹⁴N(n,p)¹⁴C, was found to be the main dose contributor under thermal neutron-dominated conditions. Full article