Simultaneous measurement of neutron and gamma-ray radiation levels from a TRIGA reactor core using silicon carbide semiconductor detectors

The ability of a SiC detector to measure neutron and gamma radiation levels in a TRIGA reactor´s mixed neutron/gamma field was demonstrated. Linear responses to an epicadmium neutron fluence rate (up to 3×10⁷ cm^-2 s^-1) and to a gamma dose rate (0.6-234 krad-Si h^-1) were obtained with the detector. Axial profiles of the reactor core´s neutron and gamma-ray radiation levels were successfully generated through sequential measurements along the length of the core. The SiC detector shows a high level of precision for both neutrons and gamma rays in high-intensity radiation environments -1.9% for neutrons and better than 0.6% for gamma rays. These results indicate that SiC detectors are well suited for applications such as spent fuel monitoring where measurements in mixed neutron/gamma fields are desired