Speaker
Description
The report is on our ongoing research focuses on optimizing accelerator-driven pulsed neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy using the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction. We present results obtained through MATLAB simulations – which optimized lithium/lithium compound targets for maximizing neutron yield under 2-2.5 MeV pulsed proton irradiation, considering target composition, thickness, proton beam spectra. Simulated neutron spectra and angular distributions are presented. To holistically assess the clinical potential of the source, we integrated Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations in our evaluations. This allows us to rigorously model the critical subsequent process: the transport of the generated neutrons through a water phantom. Leveraging Geant4 validated high-precision neutron transport capabilities we quantify the spatial-energy evolution of the neutron flux and calculate the resulting absorbed dose profiles based directly on the output characteristics of our MATLAB-optimized targets.
This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant number № 23-19-00614).
