Feasibility of High-Intensity Electron Linacs as Drivers for Compact Neutron Sources

The increasing demand for neutron production facilities is driven both by the growing use of neutrons in a wide range of applications and by the progressive shutdown of major existing sources. These trends highlight the need for efficient and compact alternatives to traditional spallation and reactor-based systems. In this context, the present work investigates the potential of normal-conducting compact electron linacs, operating in the energy range of 20 MeV to 500 MeV, as drivers for neutron generation. Using detailed G4BEAMLINE simulations, the optimal dimensions of a tungsten target are determined, and the resulting neutron emission spectrum is characterized. Two electron linac designs are evaluated as drivers for such a target: the HPCI X-band linac and the CTF3 drive-beam S-band linac. The study demonstrates that neutron source strengths up to 1.5 × 10<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">15</sup> n/s can be achieved, with energy consumption per neutron produced as low as 5.6 × 10<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-10</sup> J/n. These findings suggest that electron-linac-based neutron sources offer a compact and energy-efficient solution suitable for a wide range of applications in research, industry, and medicine.