Title: Photon interaction parameters of some spin ice compound materials

Authors: Vishwanath P. Singh; N.M. Badiger

Addresses: Department of Physics, Karnatak University, Dharwad 580003, Karnatak, India; Health Physics Section, Kaiga Atomic Power Station-3&4, NPCIL, Karwar 581400, Karnatak, India. ' Department of Physics, Karnatak University, Dharwad 580003, Karnatak, India

Abstract: Spin ice compounds (SICs) are the frustrated magnetic materials which are used in nuclear reactor control system and semiconductor electronic circuits. Photon interaction parameters such as the effective atomic number, Z_eff, and the effective electron density, N_eff, for SICs such as Dy₂Ti₂O₇, Dy₂Sn₂O₇, Ho₂Ti₂O₇ and Ho₂Sn₂O₇ have been computed at photon energies from 10 keV to 100 GeV. The Z_eff of the spin ice compounds is approximately constant in energy range 0.3–4 MeV where Compton scattering is the main photon interaction process. The Z_eff increases sharply below 0.3 MeV due to photoelectric absorption process and above 3 MeV due to pair-production process. The well type structures of Z_eff and N_eff for HSO and DSO have been observed in the photon energy range 30-60 keV due to involvement of k-shell electron in the interaction. Dy₂Sn₂O₇ and Ho₂Sn₂O₇ are suitable materials for gamma shielding.

Keywords: spin ice compounds; frustrated magnets; magnetic monopoles; spin-spin; magnetic Coulomb force; photo-absorption; control rods; effective atomic number; electron density; photon interaction; nuclear reactor control; nuclear energy; nuclear power; semiconductor electronic circuits; gamma shielding.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2012.046985

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2012 Vol.7 No.1, pp.57 - 74

Received: 20 Feb 2012
Accepted: 24 Feb 2012
Published online: 05 Dec 2014 *

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