Line shape of prompt y ray / Doppler broadening / '°B(n,a)^*Li reaction / Range oflA / Boron neutroncapture therapy
AbstractThe ranges of 'Li and '*Li produced via the "'B(n,a)'*Li reaction in elementary boron and water were determined by analysis of the Doppler broadened line-shapes of the 478 IceV prompt yray from the shortlived '*Li (T = 1.05X10"" s). The spectral line-shapes of the prompt y rays were measured with a low background using neutron beams guided outside the reactor at JRR-3M. The ränge of 3.9 um estimated for 'Li in water is compared with that (4.8 um) used in boron neutron-capture therapy as an appropriate value.'"B(n,a)^*Li reaction. That of 'Li in water which has been regarded as an appropriate value in BNCT was obtained semi-experimentally [3]. The hne shapes of the prompt y ray of 478 keV from were investigated by Neuwirth et al. [4,5], relating the Doppler broadened line-shapes to the slowing-down processes of in matter. The present authors also measured and analyzed the prompt y ray using the neutron beam and the prompt y-ray analysis system [6,7] at the newly constructed JRR-3M reactor, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. In our analysis procedure, a parameter called "velocity degradation constant" D of was introduced. The ranges of ''*Li and 'Li were estimated using the D values determined experimentally.