Particle identification technique using grid ionization chamber at China Spallation Neutron Source

Abstract

Back-n white neutron source at China Spallation Neutron Source facility requires a detector with charged-particle identification ability for measuring nuclear cross sections. Therefore, a grid ionization chamber (GIC) with an adjustable distance between the cathode and grid was designed and built. Moreover, a corresponding particle identification algorithm is proposed in order to use the signals of the anode (QA) and cathode (QC), or the signal (QA) of the anode and the time difference (Δ t) between the cathode and anode signals, based on the interactive behaviors of charged particles and the GIC's working principle. First, the GIC performance was measured using a 241Am α source for preliminary performance testing, which provided an energy resolution of 5.25%. Its good particle identification performance was demonstrated by identifying 3H and 4He from neutron reactions with 6Li using a 2D QC-QA plot and Δ t-QA plot. Furthermore, 3H and 4He can be completely distinguished from the updated 2D QC-QA plot and Δ t-QA plot, in which 3H with a small incident angle is selected. Finally, it was concluded that our GIC with the proposed particle identification algorithm could identify charged particles effectively for the future measurement of nuclear cross sections.