Search Menu
DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Search Scholarly Publications

Title: Compact, directional neutron detectors capable of high-resolution nuclear recoil imaging

Abstract

We report on the design, production, and performance of compact 40-cm3 Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) that detect fast neutrons by measuring the three-dimensional (3D) ionization distribution of nuclear recoils in 4He:CO2 gas at atmospheric pressure. We use these detectors to characterize the fast-neutron flux inside the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB electron–positron collider in Tsukuba, Japan, where the primary design constraint is a small form factor. We find that the TPCs meet or exceed all design specifications, and are capable of measuring the 3D surface shape and charge density profile of ionization clouds from nuclear recoils and charged tracks in exquisite detail. Scaled-up detectors based on the detection principle demonstrated here may be suitable for directional dark matter searches, measurements of coherent neutrino–nucleus scattering, and other experiments requiring precise detection of neutrons or nuclear recoils.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [4];  [4];  [3];  [4];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States); Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)
  2. Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States)
  3. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  4. Univ. of Bonn (Germany)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
OSTI Identifier:
1598848
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1559056; OSTI ID: 1580964
Report Number(s):
arXiv:1901.06657v2
Journal ID: ISSN 0168-9002; TRN: US2103391
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0010504; SC0007852; SC0009824; AC02-05CH11231; AC05-76RL01830; SC0012704
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 945; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0168-9002
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; TPC; GEM; Pixel; Directional; Neutron; Dark matter; beams

Citation Formats

Jaegle, I., Lewis, P. M., Garcia-Sciveres, M., Hedges, M. T., Hemperek, T., Janssen, J., Ji, Q., Pohl, D.-L., Ross, S., Schueler, J., Seong, I., Thorpe, T. N., and Vahsen, S. E. Compact, directional neutron detectors capable of high-resolution nuclear recoil imaging. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1016/j.nima.2019.06.037.
Copy to clipboard
Jaegle, I., Lewis, P. M., Garcia-Sciveres, M., Hedges, M. T., Hemperek, T., Janssen, J., Ji, Q., Pohl, D.-L., Ross, S., Schueler, J., Seong, I., Thorpe, T. N., & Vahsen, S. E. Compact, directional neutron detectors capable of high-resolution nuclear recoil imaging. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.06.037
Copy to clipboard
Jaegle, I., Lewis, P. M., Garcia-Sciveres, M., Hedges, M. T., Hemperek, T., Janssen, J., Ji, Q., Pohl, D.-L., Ross, S., Schueler, J., Seong, I., Thorpe, T. N., and Vahsen, S. E. Wed . "Compact, directional neutron detectors capable of high-resolution nuclear recoil imaging". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.06.037. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1598848.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_1598848,
title = {Compact, directional neutron detectors capable of high-resolution nuclear recoil imaging},
author = {Jaegle, I. and Lewis, P. M. and Garcia-Sciveres, M. and Hedges, M. T. and Hemperek, T. and Janssen, J. and Ji, Q. and Pohl, D.-L. and Ross, S. and Schueler, J. and Seong, I. and Thorpe, T. N. and Vahsen, S. E.},
abstractNote = {We report on the design, production, and performance of compact 40-cm3 Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) that detect fast neutrons by measuring the three-dimensional (3D) ionization distribution of nuclear recoils in 4He:CO2 gas at atmospheric pressure. We use these detectors to characterize the fast-neutron flux inside the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB electron–positron collider in Tsukuba, Japan, where the primary design constraint is a small form factor. We find that the TPCs meet or exceed all design specifications, and are capable of measuring the 3D surface shape and charge density profile of ionization clouds from nuclear recoils and charged tracks in exquisite detail. Scaled-up detectors based on the detection principle demonstrated here may be suitable for directional dark matter searches, measurements of coherent neutrino–nucleus scattering, and other experiments requiring precise detection of neutrons or nuclear recoils.},
doi = {10.1016/j.nima.2019.06.037},
journal = {Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment},
number = C,
volume = 945,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Wed Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
Copy to clipboard
Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.06.037
Copyright Statement
Other availability
Search WorldCat Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 8 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Figures / Tables:

Figure 1 Figure 1: A prototype BEAST TPC fast neutron detector, with 60 cm3 sensitive volume. We built two such detectors, and deployed one during SuperKEKB commissioning Phase 1. Eight final detectors with minor geometrical modifications and improvements were also constructed.
All figures and tables (25 total)
Save / Share:
Export Metadata
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.

Works referenced in this record:

3-D tracking in a miniature time projection chamber
journal, July 2015

  • Vahsen, S. E.; Hedges, M. T.; Jaegle, I.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 788
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2015.03.009

Observation of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering
journal, August 2017

The case for a Directional dark Matter Detector and the Status of Current Experimental Efforts
journal, January 2010

  • Ahlen, S.; Afshordi, N.; Battat, J. B. R.
  • International Journal of Modern Physics A, Vol. 25, Issue 01
  • DOI: 10.1142/S0217751X10048172

A review of the discovery reach of directional Dark Matter detection
journal, April 2016

Readout technologies for directional WIMP Dark Matter detection
journal, November 2016

GEM: A new concept for electron amplification in gas detectors
journal, February 1997

  • Sauli, F.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 386, Issue 2-3, p. 531-534
  • DOI: 10.1016/S0168-9002(96)01172-2

MICROMEGAS: a high-granularity position-sensitive gaseous detector for high particle-flux environments
journal, June 1996

  • Giomataris, Y.; Rebourgeard, Ph.; Robert, J. P.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 376, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1016/0168-9002(96)00175-1

The Time Projection Chamber
journal, October 1978

  • Marx, Jay N.; Nygren, David R.
  • Physics Today, Vol. 31, Issue 10
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.2994775

The FE-I4 pixel readout integrated circuit
journal, April 2011

  • Garcia-Sciveres, M.; Arutinov, D.; Barbero, M.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 636, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2010.04.101

SRIM – The stopping and range of ions in matter (2010)
journal, June 2010

  • Ziegler, James F.; Ziegler, M. D.; Biersack, J. P.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, Vol. 268, Issue 11-12
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2010.02.091

Monte Carlo simulation of electron drift and diffusion in counting gases under the influence of electric and magnetic fields
journal, January 1999

  • Biagi, S. F.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 421, Issue 1-2
  • DOI: 10.1016/S0168-9002(98)01233-9

Prototype ATLAS IBL modules using the FE-I4A front-end readout chip
journal, November 2012

Production and integration of the ATLAS Insertable B-Layer
journal, May 2018

Test beam results of ATLAS DBM pCVD diamond detectors using a novel threshold tuning method
journal, March 2017

Radiation hard pixel sensors using high-resistive wafers in a 150 nm CMOS processing line
journal, June 2017

Obtaining spectroscopic information with the ATLAS FE-I4 pixel readout chip
journal, July 2015

  • Pohl, David-Leon; Janssen, Jens; Hemperek, Tomasz
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 788
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2015.03.067

Performance evaluation of a serially powered pixel detector prototype for the HL-LHC
journal, March 2017

Absolute position measurement in a gas time projection chamber via transverse diffusion of drift charge
journal, July 2015

  • Lewis, P. M.; Vahsen, S. E.; Seong, I. S.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 789
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2015.03.024

Hardware-Based TCP Processor for Gigabit Ethernet
journal, June 2008

Compact Permanent Magnet Microwave-Driven Neutron Generator
conference, January 2011

  • Ji, Qing; McDaniel, Floyd D.; Doyle, Barney L.
  • APPLICATION OF ACCELERATORS IN RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY: Twenty-First International Conference, AIP Conference Proceedings
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.3586156

Development of a Time-tagged Neutron Source for SNM Detection
journal, January 2015

Note: Coincidence measurements of 3 He and neutrons from a compact D-D neutron generator
journal, May 2017

  • Ji, Q.; Lin, C. -J.; Tindall, C.
  • Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 88, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.4981896

Low-Mass Dark Matter Search with the DarkSide-50 Experiment
journal, August 2018

Readout of TPC tracking chambers with GEMs and pixel chip
journal, May 2008

  • Kim, T.; Freytsis, M.; Button-Shafer, J.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 589, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2008.02.049

Upgrade of the compact neutron spectrometer for high flux environments
journal, March 2018

  • Osipenko, M.; Bellucci, A.; Ceriale, V.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 883
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2017.11.040

miniTimeCube as a neutron scatter camera
journal, March 2019

  • Jocher, Glenn R.; Koblanski, John; Li, Viacheslav A.
  • AIP Advances, Vol. 9, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.5079429

Space neutron spectrometer design with SSPM-based instrumentation
journal, October 2011

  • Stapels, Christopher J.; Johnson, Erik B.; Chen, Xiao J.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 652, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2010.10.050

Dawn’s Gamma Ray and Neutron Detector
journal, December 2011

  • Prettyman, Thomas H.; Feldman, William C.; McSween, Harry Y.
  • Space Science Reviews, Vol. 163, Issue 1-4
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11214-011-9862-0

3-D tracking in a miniature time projection chamber
journal, July 2015

  • Vahsen, S. E.; Hedges, M. T.; Jaegle, I.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 788
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2015.03.009

Readout technologies for directional WIMP Dark Matter detection
text, January 2016

    Sort by:
    [ × clear filter / sort ]

    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Directional Recoil Detection
    journal, September 2021

    EUDAQ $-$ A Data Acquisition Software Framework for Common Beam Telescopes
    text, January 2019

      Sort by:
      [ × clear filter / sort ]

      Figures / Tables found in this record:

      Figure 1 (p. 2)figure
      Figure 2 (p. 3)figure
      Figure 3 (p. 3)figure
      Figure 4 (p. 4)figure
      Figure 5 (p. 6)figure
      Figure 6 (p. 6)figure
      Figure 7 (p. 7)figure
      Figure 8 (p. 7)figure
      Figure 9 (p. 8)figure
      Figure 10 (p. 9)figure
      Table 1 (p. 9)table
      Figure 11 (p. 10)figure
      Figure 12 (p. 10)figure
      Figure 13 (p. 12)figure
      Figure 14 (p. 13)figure
      Figure 15 (p. 13)figure
      Table 2 (p. 13)table
      Figure 16 (p. 14)figure
      Figure 17 (p. 14)figure
      Figure 18 (p. 15)figure
      Figure 19 (p. 15)figure
      Figure 20 (p. 16)figure
      Figure 21 (p. 16)figure
      Figure 22 (p. 16)figure
      Figure 23 (p. 17)figure
        [ × clear filter / sort ]
        Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.

        Similar Records in DOE PAGES and OSTI.GOV collections: