Development of Neutron Source using Lithium Driver Beam

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20404
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05399 (2018-2019)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2020); Single-year Grants (2018-2019)
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 90:Biomedical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Okamura Masahiro 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 仁科加速器科学研究センター, 客員研究員 (80332245)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高橋 一匡 長岡技術科学大学, 工学研究科, 助教 (10707475)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 中性子 / リチウム / 加速器 / レーザー / RFQ / DPIS / リチウムイオン / BNCT

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study on high-intensity lithium beam acceleration, which can be used as a neutron generation driver that can suppress unwanted radiation generation for application to BNCT, was carried out. Because the generated neutrons are supplied intensively in the forward direction, reactions near the threshold can be utilized. The budget for this research was scheduled to end in FY2020, however, due to the COVID pandemic, it was finally carried over for three years. Analysis of the accelerated beam showed that the peak current was 35 mA and that the total amount of impurities including isotopes was less than 2%. The feasibility of the system was experimentally verified.

Free Research Field

加速器科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

BNCT用の複数の施設が世界に先駆けて国内で治験を開始している。このような状況下で更に高度な加速器駆動中性子源が実現可能であることが示された意義は大きい。BNCTにはエピサーマル中性子の高強度フラックスがy俸給される。本研究で開発された技術が応用されれば、比較的エネルギー幅の少ない、高い指向性を持った中性子束が得られることになり、大掛かりな放射線シールドを持ちなくても、病院への導入が可能となる可能性が生まれた。さらに、BNCTだけでなく、他の産業応用への転用も期待される。