Large plastic scintillator panels with WLS fiber readout: Optimization of components

Results are presented on R&D efforts to design and build large size veto panels, optimized for underground low background experiments, in the most efficient and economical way using commercially available components. A variety of plastic scintillators, photomultiplier tubes, wavelength shifting fibers, and light reflector combinations were tested. Results of these studies and performance of a 2.2 m long panel are presented.