Office of Nuclear Physics

We report on the generation of 180 W average green power from a frequency-doubled picosecond rod fiber amplifier. In an Yb-doped fiber master-oscillator-power-amplifier system, 2.3-ps 704 MHz pulses are first amplified in small-core fibers and then in large-mode-area rod fibers to produce 270 W average infrared power with a high polarization extinction ratio and diffraction-limited beam quality. By carrying out frequency doubling in a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal, 180 W average green power is generated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average green power achieved in fiber-based laser systems.

Radiation dosimetry for Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT) has been performed since 1959 at Thermal Neutron Irradiation Facility (TNIF) of the three-megawatt light-water cooled Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor (BMRR). In the early 1990s when more effective drug carriers were developed for NCT, in which the eye melanoma and brain tumors in rats were irradiated in situ, extensive clinical trials of small animals began using a focused thermal neutron beam. To improve the dosimetry at irradiation facility, a series of innovative designs and major modifications made to enhance the beam intensity and to ease the experimental sampling at BMRR were performed; including (1) in-core fuel addition to increase source strength and balance flux of neutrons towards two ports, (2) out of core moderator remodeling, done by replacing thicker D2O tanks at graphite-shutter interfacial areas, to expedite neutron thermalization, (3) beam shutter upgrade to reduce strayed neutrons and gamma dose, (4) beam collimator redesign to optimize the beam flux versus dose for animal treatment, (5) beam port shielding installation around the shutter opening area (lithium-6 enriched polyester-resin in boxes, attached with polyethylene plates) to reduce prompt gamma and fast neutron doses, (6) sample holder repositioning to optimize angle versus distance for a single organ or whole body irradiation, and (7) holder wall buildup with neutron reflector materials to increase dose and dose rate from scattered thermal neutrons. During the facility upgrade, reactor dosimetry was conducted using thermoluminescent dosimeters TLD for gamma dose estimate, using ion chambers to confirm fast neutron and gamma dose rate, and by the activation of gold-foils with and without cadmium-covers, for fast and thermal neutron flux determination. Based on the combined effect from the size and depth of tumor cells and the location and geometry of dosimeters, the measured flux from cadmium-difference method was 4 - 7 % lower than the statistical mean derived from the Monte-Carlo modeling (5% uncertainty). The dose rate measured by ion chambers was 6 - 10 % lower than the output tallies (7% uncertainty). The detailed dosimetry that was performed at the TNIF for the NCT will be described.

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