A suspended boron foil multi-wire proportional counter neutron detector

Abstract

Three natural boron foils, approximately 1.0cm in diameter and 1.0µm thick, were obtained from The Lebow Company and suspended in a multi-wire proportional counter. Suspending the B foils allowed the alpha particle and Li ion reaction products to escape simultaneously, one on each side of the foil, and be measured concurrently in the gas volume. The thermal neutron response pulse-height spectrum was obtained and two obvious peaks appear from the 94% and 6% branches of the 10B(n,α)7Li neutron reaction. Scanning electron microscope images were collected to obtain the exact B foil thicknesses and MCNP6 simulations were completed for those same B thicknesses. Pulse-height spectra obtained from the simulations were compared to experimental data and matched well. The theoretical intrinsic thermal–neutron detection efficiency for enriched 10B foils was calculated and is presented. Additionally, the intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency of the three natural B foils was calculated to be 3.2±0.2%.