Determination of the source strength of an AmBe neutron source and design of flexible holder system for accurate measurements of ionising radiation

Abstract: The goal of this project was to determine the source strength of an Americium-Beryllium neutron source by irradiating metal foils of different elements. The irradiated foils were then placed on a High Purity Germanium detector and γ-decay from the decay of the neutron induced reaction products was observed and used to deduce the neutron flux. The results have been found to be in the order of magnitude of S = 2 · 105 neutrons/second, which is in fair agreement with the source strength calculated from the manufacturer’s specifications. In addition, in order to improve the reproducibility of the measurements, flexible holders have been created using 3D printers.