Development of epi-thermal neutron beam intensity detector with 71Ga(n,γ)72Ga reaction for boron neutron capture therapy.

Based on the activation method using 71Ga(n,γ)72Ga reaction, a cubic neutron flux intensity detector for epi-thermal neutrons was designed for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), and experimentally tested with a prototype detector in a neutron field produced at OKTAVIAN facility of Osaka University, Japan. The experimental test results and related analysis indicated that the performance of the detector was confirmed to be acceptable in the neutron field of BNCT. Practically, the neutron flux intensity mainly covering from 0.5 eV to 10 keV can be measured within 3% by the present detector.