The most recent installment of the 2023 ENEEP Autumn Reactor Physics courses, titled "Fundamentals of Neutron Detection," was successfully conducted at the prestigious Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This advanced course attracted an impressive cohort comprising 11 highly motivated M.Sc. and Ph.D. students hailing from Italy, France, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Finland, and Poland.
The focal point of the course spanned two immersive days of hands-on activities at the JSI TRIGA research reactor, with a primary emphasis on neutron detection. Participants engaged in practical exercises, including the measurement of He-3 and BF3 neutron detectors' responses, assessing gold concentration in a "real world" sample through neutron activation analysis, and observing the gamma compensation effect in a boron-lined ionization chamber. A highlight of the course was the "Neutron flux mapping" exercise, where participants independently constructed an experiment using a state-of-the-art miniature fission chamber provided by the esteemed Photonis company. This apparatus was inserted into a dedicated guide tube within the reactor core, enabling the measurement of the axial profile of the U-235 fission rate from scratch.
The culmination of the course featured collaborative teamwork and outstanding presentations showcasing the participants' accomplished results. ENEEP extends heartfelt congratulations to all attendees for their dedication and excellence throughout the course. Special thanks are extended to the ENEN association and the ENEN2+ project for their invaluable financial contributions, which played a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless and successful organization of this impactful course.
