Measurement of proton quenching in a plastic scintillator detector

Journal Article · 23 February 2021 · Journal of Instrumentation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/16/02/p02035 · OSTI ID:1767055

Awe, Connor ^[1]; Barbeau, Phillip ^[2]; Haghighat, Alireza ^[3]; Hedges, Sam ^[2]; Johnson, Tyler ^[2]; Li, Shengchao ^[3]; Link, Jonathan M. ^[3]; Mascolino, Valerio ^[3]; Runge, Jay ^[2]; Steenis, Jacob ^[4]; Subedi, Tulasi ^[3]; Walkup, Keegan ^[3]

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1. Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States). Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
2. Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States). Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory
3. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)
4. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States); Grinnell College, IA (United States)

The non-linear energy response of the plastic scintillator EJ-260 is measured with the MicroCHANDLER detector, using neutron beams of energy 5 to 27 MeV at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory. The first and second order Birks' constants are extracted from the data, and found to be $$k_B = (8.70 \pm 0.93)\times 10^{-3}\ {\rm g/cm^2/MeV}$$ and $$k_C = (1.42 \pm 1.00) \times 10^{-5}\ {\rm (g/cm^2/MeV)^2}$$. This result covers a unique energy range that is of direct relevance for fast neutron backgrounds in reactor inverse beta decay detectors. Furthermore, these measurements will improve the energy non-linearity modeling of plastic scintillator detectors. In particular, the updated energy response model will lead to an improvement of fast neutron modeling for detectors based on the CHANDLER reactor neutrino detector technology.

• Research Organization: Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Science Foundation; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation; USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
• Grant/Contract Number: FG02-97ER41033; SC0020235
• OSTI ID: 1767055
• Journal Information: Journal of Instrumentation, Journal Name: Journal of Instrumentation Journal Issue: 02 Vol. 16; ISSN 1748-0221
• Publisher: Institute of Physics (IOP)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English