Optimum lithium loading of a liquid scintillator for neutron and neutrino detection

Bergeron, D. E.; Mumm, H. P.; Tyra, M. A.; La Rosa, J.; Nour, S.; Langford, T. J.

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2019.163126

Optimum lithium loading of a liquid scintillator for neutron and neutrino detection

Journal Article · Wed Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2019 · Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.163126· OSTI ID:1802947

Bergeron, D. E. ^[1]; Mumm, H. P. ^[2]; Tyra, M. A. ^[2]; La Rosa, J. ^[2]; Nour, S. ^[2]; Langford, T. J. ^[3]

National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States); OSTI
National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States). Wright Nuclear Structure Lab.

Neutral particle detection in high-background environments is greatly aided by the ability to easily load ⁶Li into liquid scintillators. In this work, we describe a readily available and inexpensive liquid scintillation cocktail stably loaded with a Li mass fraction up to 1%. Compositions that give thermodynamically stable microemulsions (reverse-micellar systems) were explored, using a Compton spectrum quenching technique to distinguish these from unstable emulsions. Scintillation light yield and transmittance were characterized. Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) was measured using a ²⁵²Cf source, showing that electron-like and proton-like recoil events are well-resolved even for Li loading up to 1%, providing a means of background suppression in neutron/neutrino detectors. While samples in this work were prepared with ^natLi (7.59% ⁶Li), the neutron capture peak was clearly visible in the PSD spectrum; this implies that while extremely high capture efficiency could be achieved with ⁶Li-enriched material, a very inexpensive neutron-sensitive detector can be prepared with ^natLi.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0016357; SC0017660

OSTI ID:: 1802947

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1577225

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. 953; ISSN 0168-9002

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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