Increasing the Si Irradiation Capability at MIT Reactor

As part of Professor Kadak’s design course, a conceptual design was developed for increasing the capability of the MITR to irradiate larger silicon ingots. The current capability is limited to 4 and 6 inch ingots with a market demand for larger 8 inch ingots. The students developed an innovative design that used an existing 12 inch beam port in a non-conventional way to allow for the insertion and removal of ingots without requiring a redesign of the reactor support structure. The students additionally reviewed the existing irradiation facility and proposed modifications that would improve throughput and reduce occupational exposure. This project prompted interest by a commercial firm to take the next steps in design to implement such a system.