A RIGOROUS TREATMENT OF SELF-SHIELDING AND COVERS IN NEUTRON-SPECTRA DETERMINATIONS

Most neutron spectrum determination methodologies ignore self-shieldin g effects in dosimetry foils and treat covers with an exponential atte nuation model. This work provides a quantitative analysis of the appro ximations in this approach. It also provides a methodology for improvi ng the fidelity of the treatment of the dosimetry sensor response to a level consistent with the user's spectrum characterization approach. A library of correction functions for the energy-dependent sensor resp onse has been compiled that addresses dosimetry foils/configurations i n use at the Sandia National Laboratories Radiation Metrology Laborato ry.