Method for Measuring Mixed Field Radiation Levels Relevant for SEEs at the LHC

Abstract

At the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), installed electronics will be exposed to a radiation field of mixed particles over a wide range of energies. While Monte Carlo transport codes can be used for calculations and predictions of radiation levels, the complex operation and layout of the LHC accelerator give rise to unavoidable uncertainties. Dedicated radiation monitors are therefore installed in locations of the electronics to provide an online measurement of the radiation levels pertinent to single-event upsets (SEUs). This paper addresses the method that has been applied to calibrate these radiation monitors for their use in mixed radiation fields. New irradiation tests to determine the sensitivity to neutrons from a few megaelectronvolts to 20 MeV will be presented along with additional irradiation tests with high-energy protons .