Interaction and Detection of Nuclear Radiation

The course presents the basic principles of the interaction mechanisms of charge particles, gamma-rays and neutrons with matter. The general priciples and properties of radiation detectors will be discusses, with particular emphasis on gas detectors, scintillators and solid state detectors. Modern and future detection systems based on different kind of materials are discussed in connection with specific experiments at the frontiers of the nuclear physics research.

At the end of the course, the student will be informed about the mechanisms of interaction of radiation with matter. In particular, she/he will be able to estimate:
i) energy losses, according to Bethe-Block, range and straggling of particles in different materials:
ii) interaction probability for photoelectric, Compton and pair production interactions, for photons with keV-10 MeV energies;
iii) cross sections for neutron interactions, as a function of neutron energy, in particular for scattering and n capture.
The student will be able to discuss the working principles for:
i) gas detectors: ionization chambers, proportional counters, Geiger-Muller detectors;
ii) scintillator detectors: organic, inorganic, light guide, photomultiplier tubes:
iii) semiconductor detectors: pn junctions, high-purity detectors, in particular made of Si and Ge materials;
iv) neutron detectors.
The student will be able to propose optimal configurations for detection systems for specific, modern experiments in nuclear physics, which require advance instrumentation. For example:
i) arrays of large volume high-purity Ge detectors, composite or segmented;
ii) arrays of large volume scintillators, including phoswich type;
iii) instrumentation for electron conversion measurements;
iv) instrumentation for low-energy heavy-ion detection and arrays for fission fragments detection;
v) modular detection systems for fast neutron measurements.