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Title: Silicon detectors for monitoring neutron beams in n-TOF beamlines

Abstract

During 2014, the second experimental area (EAR2) was completed at the n-TOF neutron beam facility at CERN (n-TOF indicates neutron beam measurements by means of time of flight technique). The neutrons are produced via spallation, by means of a high-intensity 20 GeV pulsed proton beam impinging on a thick target. The resulting neutron beam covers the energy range from thermal to several GeV. In this paper, we describe two beam diagnostic devices, both exploiting silicon detectors coupled with neutron converter foils containing {sup 6}Li. The first one is based on four silicon pads and allows monitoring of the neutron beam flux as a function of the neutron energy. The second one, in beam and based on position sensitive silicon detectors, is intended for the reconstruction of the beam profile, again as a function of the neutron energy. Several electronic setups have been explored in order to overcome the issues related to the gamma flash, namely, a huge pulse present at the start of each neutron bunch which may blind the detectors for some time. The two devices were characterized with radioactive sources and also tested at the n-TOF facility at CERN. The wide energy and intensity range they proved capablemore » of sustaining made them attractive and suitable to be used in both EAR1 and EAR2 n-TOF experimental areas, where they became immediately operational.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1];  [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania (Italy)
  2. INFN Sezione di Bari, Bari (Italy)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22482712
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Review of Scientific Instruments
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 86; Journal Issue: 7; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0034-6748
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; CERN; GEV RANGE 10-100; LITHIUM 6; MONITORING; NEUTRON BEAMS; NEUTRON CONVERTERS; PROTON BEAMS; RADIATION SOURCES; SI SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS; TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD

Citation Formats

Cosentino, L., Pappalardo, A., Piscopo, M., Finocchiaro, P., Musumarra, A., Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Catania, Catania, Barbagallo, M., Colonna, N., and Damone, L. Silicon detectors for monitoring neutron beams in n-TOF beamlines. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4927073.
Cosentino, L., Pappalardo, A., Piscopo, M., Finocchiaro, P., Musumarra, A., Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Catania, Catania, Barbagallo, M., Colonna, N., & Damone, L. Silicon detectors for monitoring neutron beams in n-TOF beamlines. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927073
Cosentino, L., Pappalardo, A., Piscopo, M., Finocchiaro, P., Musumarra, A., Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Catania, Catania, Barbagallo, M., Colonna, N., and Damone, L. 2015. "Silicon detectors for monitoring neutron beams in n-TOF beamlines". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927073.
@article{osti_22482712,
title = {Silicon detectors for monitoring neutron beams in n-TOF beamlines},
author = {Cosentino, L. and Pappalardo, A. and Piscopo, M. and Finocchiaro, P. and Musumarra, A. and Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Catania, Catania and Barbagallo, M. and Colonna, N. and Damone, L.},
abstractNote = {During 2014, the second experimental area (EAR2) was completed at the n-TOF neutron beam facility at CERN (n-TOF indicates neutron beam measurements by means of time of flight technique). The neutrons are produced via spallation, by means of a high-intensity 20 GeV pulsed proton beam impinging on a thick target. The resulting neutron beam covers the energy range from thermal to several GeV. In this paper, we describe two beam diagnostic devices, both exploiting silicon detectors coupled with neutron converter foils containing {sup 6}Li. The first one is based on four silicon pads and allows monitoring of the neutron beam flux as a function of the neutron energy. The second one, in beam and based on position sensitive silicon detectors, is intended for the reconstruction of the beam profile, again as a function of the neutron energy. Several electronic setups have been explored in order to overcome the issues related to the gamma flash, namely, a huge pulse present at the start of each neutron bunch which may blind the detectors for some time. The two devices were characterized with radioactive sources and also tested at the n-TOF facility at CERN. The wide energy and intensity range they proved capable of sustaining made them attractive and suitable to be used in both EAR1 and EAR2 n-TOF experimental areas, where they became immediately operational.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4927073},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22482712}, journal = {Review of Scientific Instruments},
issn = {0034-6748},
number = 7,
volume = 86,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Wed Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}