Neutron-gamma discrimination via PSD plastic scintillator and SiPMs

[摘要] The reduction in availability and inevitable increase in cost of traditional neutron detectors based on the 3He neutron capture reaction has resulted in a concerted effort to seek out new techniques and detection media to meet the needs of national nuclear security. Traditionally, the alternative has been provided through pulse shape discrimination (PSD) using liquid scintillators. However, these are not without their own inherent issues, primarily concerning user safety and ongoing maintenance. A potential system devised to separate neutron and gamma ray pulses utilising the PSD technique takes advantage of recent improvements in silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) technology and the development of plastic scintillators exhibiting the PSD phenomena. In this paper we present the current iteration of this ongoing work having achieved a Figure of Merit (FoM) of 1.39 at 1.5 MeVee.

[发布机构] Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford; GU2 7XH, United Kingdom^1

[效力级别] 工业技术 [学科分类] 工业工程学

[关键词] Figure of merit (FOM);Liquid scintillator;Neutron capture reaction;Neutron-gamma discriminations;Plastic scintillator;Potential systems;Pulse shape discrimination;Silicon photomultiplier