Irradiation of 4″×4″ NaI(Tl) detector by the 14 MeV neutrons

Within the EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) project, a new Tagged Neutron Inspection System (TNIS) has been developed and installed in the Port of Rijeka in Croatia. The system was based on the examination of sea containers with the 14 MeV neutron beam. During the operation the characteristic gamma rays were produced and measured by several 5″×5″×10″ NaI(Tl) detectors. During this procedure some of the detectors were exposed to an intensive neutron beam radiation. It was necessary to check for possible radiation damage of the NaI(Tl) scintillator during the gamma detector selection phase of the project.The 4″×4″ NaI(Tl) detector was exposed to 14 MeV neutrons for 20 h. From the presented results on energy resolution and activation measurements it could be concluded that there are no significant differences in energy resolution before and after the irradiation by 4.7×1011 of 14 MeV neutrons. The only problem could be the high level of medium and long term induced activity in the energy region below 2 MeV.