Simulation of Radiation Backgrounds associated with the HEXRI Diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility

Experiments resulting in a significant neutron yield are scheduled to start in 2010 at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). A wide range of diagnostics will be used to measure several parameters of implosion such as the core and fuel shape, temperatures and densities, and neutron yield. Accurate evaluations of the neutron and gamma backgrounds are important for several diagnostics, such as the High Energy X-ray Imager (HEXRI). Several Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to identify the expected signal to background ratios at several potential locations for the HEXRI diagnostics. Gamma backgrounds were significantly reduced by using tungsten collimators. The collimators resulted in the reduction of the gamma background at the HEXRI scintillators by more than an order of magnitude during the first 40 ns following a THD shot.