Two-dimensional solid state gaseous detector based on 10B layer for thermal and cold neutrons

Abstract

Two-dimensional solid state gaseous detector for thermal and cold neutrons is created. The detector has active area of 128 x 128 mm2, 10B neutron converter, and gas chamber with thin windows. The resistive charge-division readout is applied to determine the neutron position. The detector was tested using W-Be photoneutron source at the Institute for Nuclear Research, Moscow. The detector efficiency is estimated as ∼4% at neutron wavelength λ = 1.82 Å and 8% at λ = 8 Å. The efficiency of the background detection was less than 10-5 of that for thermal neutrons. The resulting pulse height resolution and the spatial resolution are estimated as ∼15% and ∼2.5 mm, respectively.