Prototype reactor-antineutrino detector based on 6Li-doped pulse-shape-discriminating plastic scintillator

Rodrigues, O. Benevides; Bernard, E. P.; Bowden, N. S.; Bravo, C.; Carr, R.; Classen, T. M.; Conant, A. J.; Dazeley, S. A.; Dunbrack, M. T.; Durham, S. R.; Erickson, A. S.; Haghighat, A.; Heeger, K. M.; Huber, P.; Irani, A.; Kyzylova, O.; Li, Viacheslav A.; Link, J. M.; Littlejohn, B. R.; Machado, F.; Mendenhall, M. P.; Mumm, H. P.; Newby, J.; Roca, C.; Ross, J.; Sutanto, F.; Walkup, K.; Wilhelmi, J.; Zhang, X.

doi:10.1103/6t97-9bpb

Title: Prototype reactor-antineutrino detector based on ⁶Li-doped pulse-shape-discriminating plastic scintillator

Journal Article · Fri Nov 07 00:00:00 UTC 2025 · Physical Review Applied

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/6t97-9bpb · OSTI ID:3003808

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Illinois Institute of Technology
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Georgia Institute of Technology
United States Naval Academy
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Virginia Tech
Yale University
National Institute of Standards and Technology

An aboveground 60-kg reactor-antineutrino detector prototype, comprising a two-dimensional array of 36 ⁶⁢Li-doped pulse-shape-sensitive plastic scintillator bars, is described. Each bar is 50 cm long with a square cross section of 5.5 cm. Doped with ⁶⁢Li at 0.1% by mass, the detector is capable of identifying correlated energy depositions for the detection of reactor antineutrinos via the inverse-𝛽-decay (IDB) reaction. Each bar is wrapped with a specular reflector that directs photons toward photomultiplier tubes mounted at both ends of the bar. Here, this paper highlights the construction, key features, and main performance characteristics of the system. The system, which relies on multiple observables such as pulse-shape discrimination, energy, position, and timing, is capable of detecting IBD-like neutron-correlated backgrounds, long-lived decay chains, and cosmogenic isotopes.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 3003808

Report Number(s):: LLNL--JRNL-2005361

Journal Information:: Physical Review Applied, Journal Name: Physical Review Applied Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 24; ISSN 2331-7019

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Prototype reactor-antineutrino detector based on ⁶Li-doped pulse-shape-discriminating plastic scintillator