Performance characteristics of thermal neutron detectors based on Li6Y(BO3)3:Ce single crystals

Crack-free single crystals of Ce doped Li6Y(BO3)3 (LYBO:Ce) have been grown using the Czochralski technique. Grown crystals were characterized for their optical and scintillation characteristics to explore their potential as neutron detectors. Scintillator detectors based on LYBO:Ce crystal were used successfully to record the pulse height spectra from various neutron sources in the flux range from 10 n/cm2/s to 107 n/cm2/s. The detection efficiency for thermal neutrons was found to be over 80% for a 2 mm thick LYBO:Ce crystal. The scintillation decay times measured for neutron and gamma radiations were about 27 ns and 49 ns, respectively.