Recent Developments in Fast Neutron Detection and Multiplicity Counting with Liquid Scintillator

Abstract

For many years, LLNL researchers have been developing time‐correlated neutron detection techniques and algorithms for applications such as Arms Control, Threat Detection and Nuclear Material Assay. Many of the techniques have been developed specifically for the relatively low efficiency (a few percent) attainable by detector systems limited to man‐portability. Historically, thermal neutron detectors (mainly 3He) were used, taking advantage of the high thermal neutron interaction cross sections. More recently, we have been investigating the use of fast neutron detection with liquid scintillators, inorganic crystals, and in the near future, pulse‐shape discriminating plastics that respond over 1000 times faster (ns versus tens of μs) than thermal neutron detectors. Fast neutron detection offers considerable advantages since the inherent ns production timescales of spontaneous fission and neutron‐induced fission are preserved and measured instead of being lost by thermalization required for thermal neutron detectors. We are now applying fast neutron technology to the safeguards regime in the form of fast portable digital electronics as well as faster and less hazardous scintillator formulations. Faster detector response times and sensitivity to neutron momentum show promise for measuring, differentiating, and assaying samples that have modest to very high count rates, as well as mixed fission sources like Cm and Pu. We report on measured results with our existing liquid scintillator array and progress on the design of a nuclear material assay system that incorporates fast neutron detection, including the surprising result that fast liquid scintillator detectors become competitive and even surpass the precision of 3He‐based counters measuring correlated pairs in modest (kg) samples of plutonium.