Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8170509 | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment | 2016 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
In conjunction with Eljen Technology, Inc. (Sweetwater,TX) we have designed, constructed, and evaluated a 3 in. Ã3 in. deuterated-xylene organic liquid scintillator (C8D10; EJ301D) as a fast neutron detector. Similar to deuterated benzene (C6D6; NE230, BC537, and EJ315) this scintillator can provide good pulse-shape discrimination between neutrons and gamma rays, has good timing characteristics, and can provide a light spectrum with peaks corresponding to discrete neutron energy groups up to ca. 20Â MeV. Unlike benzene-based detectors, deuterated xylene is less volatile, less toxic, is not known to be carcinogenic, has a higher flashpoint, and hence is much safer for many applications. In addition EJ301D can provide slightly more light output and better PSD than deuterated-benzene scintillators. We show that, as with deuterated-benzene scintillators, the light-response spectra can be unfolded to provide useable neutron energy spectra without need for time-of-flight (ToF). An array of these detectors arranged at many angles close to a reaction target can be much more effective (Ã10 to Ã100 or more) than an array of long-path ToF detectors which must utilize a narrowly-bunched and pulse-selected beam. As we demonstrate using a small Van de Graaff accelerator, measurements can thus be performed when a bunched and pulse-selected beam (as needed for time-of-flight) is not available.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Instrumentation
Authors
F.D. Becchetti, R.S. Raymond, R.O. Torres-Isea, A. Di Fulvio, S.D. Clarke, S.A. Pozzi, M. Febbraro,