Real-time, digital pulse-shape discrimination in non-hazardous fast liquid scintillation detectors: Prospects for safety and security
- Engineering Dept., Lancaster Univ., Lancaster, LA1 4YR (United Kingdom)
- Hybrid Instruments Ltd., Lancaster LA1 1XB (United Kingdom)
- Dept. of Safeguards, International Atomic Energy Agency, A-1400 Vienna (Austria)
Pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) in fast, organic scintillation detectors is a long-established technique used to separate neutrons and {gamma} rays in mixed radiation fields. In the analogue domain the method can achieve separation in real time, but all knowledge of the pulses themselves is lost thereby preventing the possibility of any post- or repeated analysis. Also, it is typically reliant on electronic systems that are largely obsolete and which require significant experience to set up. In the digital domain, PSD is often more flexible but significant post-processing has usually been necessary to obtain neutron/{gamma}-ray separation. Moreover, the scintillation media on which the technique relies usually have a low flash point and are thus deemed hazardous. This complicates the ease with which they are used in industrial applications. In this paper, results obtained with a new portable digital pulse-shape discrimination instrument are described. This instrument provides real-time, digital neutron/{gamma} separation whilst preserving the synchronization with the time-of-arrival for each event, and realizing throughputs of 3 x 10{sup 6} events per second. Furthermore, this system has been tested with a scintillation medium that is non-flammable and not hazardous. (authors)
- OSTI ID:
- 22039844
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ANIMMA 2011: 2. International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications, Ghent (Belgium), 6-9 Jun 2011; Other Information: Country of input: France; 14 refs.; IEEE Catalog Number: CFP1124I-CDR
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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