Development of a lithium fluoride zinc sulfide based neutron multiplicity counter
Abstract
Here, the feasibility of a full-scale lithium fluoride zinc sulfide (LiF/ZnS) based neutron multiplicity counter has been demonstrated. The counter was constructed of modular neutron detecting stacks that each contain five sheets of LiF/ZnS interleaved between six sheets of wavelength shifting plastic with a photomultiplier tube on each end. Twelve such detector stacks were placed around a sample chamber in a square arrangement with lithiated high-density polyethylene blocks in the corners to reflect high-energy neutrons and capture low-energy neutrons. The final system design was optimized via modeling and small-scale test. Measuring neutrons from a 252Cf source, the counter achieved a 36% neutron detection efficiency (ϵϵ) and an View the MathML source11.7μs neutron die-away time (ττ) for a doubles figure-of-merit (ϵ2/τ) of 109. This is the highest doubles figure-of-merit measured to-date for a 3He-free neutron multiplicity counter.
- Authors:
-
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Idaho State Univ., Pocatello, ID (United States)
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- New Mexico Univ. Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1418020
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1548810
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- 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: 887; Journal ID: ISSN 0168-9002
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; LiF/ZnS; Neutron multiplicity counter; Neutron coincidence counter; 3He-free
Citation Formats
Cowles, Christian, Behling, Spencer, Baldez, Phoenix, Folsom, Micah, Kouzes, Richard, Kukharev, Vladislav, Lintereur, Azaree, Robinson, Sean, Siciliano, Edward, Stave, Sean, and Valdez, Patrick. Development of a lithium fluoride zinc sulfide based neutron multiplicity counter. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.nima.2018.01.015.
Cowles, Christian, Behling, Spencer, Baldez, Phoenix, Folsom, Micah, Kouzes, Richard, Kukharev, Vladislav, Lintereur, Azaree, Robinson, Sean, Siciliano, Edward, Stave, Sean, & Valdez, Patrick. Development of a lithium fluoride zinc sulfide based neutron multiplicity counter. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.01.015
Cowles, Christian, Behling, Spencer, Baldez, Phoenix, Folsom, Micah, Kouzes, Richard, Kukharev, Vladislav, Lintereur, Azaree, Robinson, Sean, Siciliano, Edward, Stave, Sean, and Valdez, Patrick. Fri .
"Development of a lithium fluoride zinc sulfide based neutron multiplicity counter". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.01.015. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1418020.
@article{osti_1418020,
title = {Development of a lithium fluoride zinc sulfide based neutron multiplicity counter},
author = {Cowles, Christian and Behling, Spencer and Baldez, Phoenix and Folsom, Micah and Kouzes, Richard and Kukharev, Vladislav and Lintereur, Azaree and Robinson, Sean and Siciliano, Edward and Stave, Sean and Valdez, Patrick},
abstractNote = {Here, the feasibility of a full-scale lithium fluoride zinc sulfide (LiF/ZnS) based neutron multiplicity counter has been demonstrated. The counter was constructed of modular neutron detecting stacks that each contain five sheets of LiF/ZnS interleaved between six sheets of wavelength shifting plastic with a photomultiplier tube on each end. Twelve such detector stacks were placed around a sample chamber in a square arrangement with lithiated high-density polyethylene blocks in the corners to reflect high-energy neutrons and capture low-energy neutrons. The final system design was optimized via modeling and small-scale test. Measuring neutrons from a 252Cf source, the counter achieved a 36% neutron detection efficiency (ϵϵ) and an View the MathML source11.7μs neutron die-away time (ττ) for a doubles figure-of-merit (ϵ2/τ) of 109. This is the highest doubles figure-of-merit measured to-date for a 3He-free neutron multiplicity counter.},
doi = {10.1016/j.nima.2018.01.015},
journal = {Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment},
number = ,
volume = 887,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Fri Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}
Web of Science
Figures / Tables:
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Passive Gamma-Ray and Neutron Imaging Systems for National Security and Nuclear Non-Proliferation in Controlled and Uncontrolled Detection Areas: Review of Past and Current Status
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Passive Gamma-Ray and Neutron Imaging Systems for National Security and Nuclear Non-Proliferation in Controlled and Uncontrolled Detection Areas: Review of Past and Current Status
journal, June 2019
- Al Hamrashdi, Hajir; Monk, Stephen D.; Cheneler, David
- Sensors, Vol. 19, Issue 11
Figures / Tables found in this record: