A comparison of performance between organic scintillation crystals and moderated 3He-based detectors for fission neutron detection

Direct detection of fast neutrons using organic scintillators is one alternative to moderated thermal neutron detectors deployed to detect fission neutrons—a relevant question in light of dwindling 3He supplies. Recent developments in materials science have demonstrated the capability to grow larger crystals in reasonable times. In light of these developments, this study compares the relative performance of a 3He-based neutron module from a commercially available portal monitor with a theoretical organic scintillator of similar overall size. Stilbene serves as a benchmark with its performance estimated from a combination of energy deposition modeled by radiation transport calculations and an assumption of the lowest neutron energy at which pulse shape discrimination can effectively separate neutron and gamma-ray events. Before intrinsic detection efficiencies on par with moderated detector systems can be achieved, the results point to the need for further advances including significant increases in detector size, especially thickness, and/or lower pulse shape discrimination thresholds.