The Validity of the Use of the Neutron Reduction Factor in Assessing Displacement Damage to Electronics in Armoured Vehicles

Abstract : The degree of protection from neutron irradiation afforded to electronics by armoured vehicles is most currently defined by the outside-to- inside ratio of the 1 MeV equivalent neutron fluence for Silicon. It has been proposed that this factor may be approximated by an experimentally measurable parameter - the neutron (tissue kerma) reduction factor. This report examines the validity of this assumption for a variety of realistic nuclear battlefield scenarios, calculated using the computer code VPF2. In addition the response of two neutron dosimeters in the calculated fields is examined. Keywords: Neutron; Nuclear radiation; Radiation protection; Silicon displacement damage; Radiation transport; Computer codes; Nuclear weapons.