Neutron detection properties of Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce crystal

• Responses to γ rays of Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce are studied by simulation and experiments.
• Neutron capture efficiency of Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce is higher than lithium glass.
• The light yields are studied by α and γ sources and the α/γ ratio is about 0.03.
• Its decay time is around 24–48 ns under different kind sources irradiation.
• The crystal can detect thermal neutrons by pulse height spectrum measurements.

Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce crystal is a promising type of scintillator for neutron detection. In this study, the properties of Li6Y(BO3)3:3at%Ce are studied, including its γ sensitivity, neutron efficiency, α/γ ratio, relative light yield, neutron pulse-height spectrum and decay time. Geant4 simulations indicate that its capture efficiency for thermal neutrons is as high as 78% for the natural abundances of the boron and lithium elements. The α/γ ratio of Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce is measured to be 0.03, which is 10 times lower than that of lithium glass. If the per-MeV light yield of lithium glass is defined to be 100, then the light yields generated by Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce for γ rays and α particles are 253.3 and 24.8, respectively. Under γ-ray irradiation, the light yield of Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce is approximately 6 times lower than that of NaI:Tl. In neutron detection, the neutron signal can be clearly distinguished from the backgrounds caused by the 252Cf source itself. Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce is also a fast scintillator, with decay times of 48.6 ± 14.4 ns, 24.6 ± 13.3 ns and 37.8 ± 17.8 ns under irradiation with γ rays, α particles and thermal neutrons, respectively. This study offers a systematic study of useful parameters of Li6Y(BO3)3:3at%Ce crystal for application in and the improvement of neutron detection.