Pulse shape discrimination in helium-4 scintillation detectors

Journal Article · Wed May 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2016.05.065· OSTI ID:1366968

Kelley, Ryan P. ^[1]; Enqvist, Andreas ^[2]; Jordan, Kelly A. ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); University of Florida
2. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

We investigated three algorithms for discriminating between neutrons and gamma rays in a pres-surized ⁴He gas fast neutron detector: charge comparison, weighted integration, and neutron-gamma model analysis (NGMA). And for each algorithm, a comprehensive pulse shape discrimination study was conducted using time-of-flight measurements, receiver operator characteristic curves, figure of merit performance measures, and a comparison of performance between ²⁵²Cf and PuBe mixed neutron/gamma sources. The NGMA method was found to have the best overall performance by both the figure of merit and the receiver operator characteristic curve. Our results also illustrated the high gamma rejection efficiency of these detectors, which is desirable in a variety of neutron monitoring applications.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development (NA-22)
• Grant/Contract Number: NA0002534
• OSTI ID: 1366968
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 22564955
• Journal Information: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Journal Name: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment Journal Issue: C Vol. 830; ISSN 0168-9002
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Figure of Merit
Gas Scintillation Detector
Neutron Detection
Pulse Shape Discrimination