Investigation of the neutron-gamma ray discrimination performance at low neutron energy of a solution-grown stilbene scintillator

Augusto Di Chicco,Brian Stout,Michael Petit,Robert Jacqmin,Vincent Gressier

doi:10.1051/epjconf/202022504013

Abstract

The results of experiments performed with a Ø25 x 25 mm solution-grown stilbene crystal in mono-energetic neutron fields in the 80-to-230 keV energy range are presented. The goal of the measurements, performed at the AMANDE facility, was to explore the capabilities of this organic scintillator to measure neutrons at the lowest possible energy with good pulse shape discrimination (PSD). The time of flight (TOF) technique was used in order to help with the neutron-gamma discrimination. The data are collected via a programmable digital acquisition (DAQ) system CAEN DT7530 using the software CoMPASS with the charge comparison method (CCM). The data are analysed using post-processing codes developed in the ROOT environment. The results show that the stilbene detector has discrimination capabilities for energies as low as 80 keV.

Highlights

For several nuclear applications such as neutron spectrum measurements in zero-power experimental nuclear reactors, nuclear material detection, fusion diagnostics etc., there is a need for fast neutron detectors that can cover a wide energy range, especially from a few 10 keV’s to 10 MeV, and that can operate in mixed neutron-gamma radiation fields
The results of experiments performed with a Ø25 x 25 mm solution-grown stilbene crystal in mono-energetic neutron fields in the 80-to-230 keV energy range are presented
The data are collected via a programmable digital acquisition (DAQ) system CAEN DT7530 using the software CoMPASS with the charge comparison method (CCM)

Summary

Introduction

For several nuclear applications such as neutron spectrum measurements in zero-power experimental nuclear reactors, nuclear material detection, fusion diagnostics etc., there is a need for fast neutron detectors that can cover a wide energy range, especially from a few 10 keV’s to 10 MeV, and that can operate in mixed neutron-gamma radiation fields. These neutron spectrometers must have a good energy resolution (

Objectives

Results

Conclusion