By Center for Functional Nanomaterials Brookhaven
Electronics and structural materials intended for use in high-energy physics experiments, space, or other environments where significant amounts of damaging radiation are present must be tested and qualified for radiation effects before they are deployed. The Instrumentation Department’s solid-state gamma-ray irradiation facility, neutron generator, and other small neutron sources provide capabilities to perform these testing and characterization studies in air. Our Capabilities - Determination of long-term radiation exposure effects with an ionizing radiation source (~60Co, 450 Ci activity in 2020) capable of operating continuously without interruption - Characterization of handheld-size samples at high dose rates (up to 4×104 rad/hr, or 1 Mrad over one day) and samples as large as 60 cm at low dose rates (down to 100 rad/hr) - Implementation of complex test setups near the radiation source, allowing for studies at temperatures ranging from cryogenic to elevated and under vacuum or in selected gas atmospheres - Movement of shielded enclosure to modify dose rate for dynamic studies, even during irradiation - Measurement of low-level displacement damage via neutrons (14 MeV neutron generator and sealed sources)
