Description of the thesis topic

Real-time monitoring of neutron flux in different fields where neutrons are involved, such as in nuclear physics, fission or fusion reactors, materials sciences or medicine, has made essential the development of easy to use dosimeters sensitive to these particles. The approach proposed in this project consists in exploiting and optimizing the radioluminescence (RL) properties of silica glasses doped with rare-earth ions, such as Ce3+ or Gd3+, in order to design easy to implement neutron dosimetry in fiber configuration (thin rods, large-core fibers) in particle fields with energy of a few MeV.
The theme is fully in line with the DOLFIN collaborative project, submitted to ANR, which brings together 2 academic partners (including LabHC - University of St Etienne) and an industrial partner specialized in the production of neutron sources. The project aims firstly at consolidating the preliminary results already obtained and at improving the performances of the materials and fiber structures in terms of sensitivity and independence to energy. A second objective will be to discriminate the dose deposited by neutrons from that resulting from the accompanying gamma radiation, which constitutes a major technological barrier in nuclear physics.
In this context, the candidate will have to carry out all the necessary characterizations for the optimization of the material, then of the fiber structure, starting with spectroscopic studies in order to identify the dopants, their concentrations, their effects on the matrix, their emission efficiency. RL measurements under X-ray (in St Etienne) are also planned and the candidate should develop a modeling of the behavior of fibers under ionizing radiation. Finally, the candidate could participate in the measurement campaigns under neutrons.

Work Context

ANR project DOLFIN - Academic partnership (Université Jean Monnet of St Etienne) and industrial partnership (SODERN).

Constraints and risks

Laser risk (training)