Attenuation characteristics of high-energy radiation on As-Se-Sn chalcogenide glassy alloy

Abstract

The present work is mainly interested in the use of chalcogenide glass materials as shielding materials for the highly energetic radiations as X-rays and Gamma rays and particles of high energies as neutrons. The chalcogenide glass system concerned with this study is As40-Se60-x-Snx (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 at %). Numerous radiation shielding factors have been deduced by the aid of Phy-X/PSD online software. This software enabled us to achieve the linear and mass attenuation coefficients (LAC, MAC), effective atomic number Zeff, effective electron density, Neff, half-value layer, HVL, tenth value layer TVL, mean free path MEF, energy absorption and exposure buildup factors (EABF, EBF) in photon energy range extended from 0.15 to 15 MeV. The most interesting findings are that the LAC and MAC values are more suitable for shielding purposes than that of some commercial and traditional glasses. Also the results refer to that HVL, TVL, and MFP decrease with the substitution of Selenium by Tin in the tested system, this decreasing is clearer at the medium and high range of photon energies, which indicate to the improvement of shielding features by the adding of Sn to these specimens. Zeff and Neff of these glasses were in the range (33.6- 40.6) and (2.5-2.86 x 1023 electrons/g) respectively. The results also point to that EBF and EABF decrease with further raising of Snpercentage in the investigated chalcogenide system at all the values of MFP at the hole range of the photon energy, that confirm with no doubt that the samples with higher ratios of Tin have better shielding ability than those of lower ratios of Tin in the investigated system. It is also found that FNRCS of the five investigated specimens is in between 0.0886 Cm-1 and 0.0943 Cm-1 that makes them promising protective materials against neutrons, when compared with other commercial and traditional glasses.