New organic crystals for pulse shape discrimination

Journal Article · Wed Jul 16 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

OSTI ID:965950

Hull, G; Zaitseva, N; Cherepy, N; Newby, J; Stoeffl, W; Payne, S

Efficient, readily-available, low-cost, high-energy neutron detectors can play a central role in detecting illicit nuclear weapons since neutrons are a strong indication for the presence of fissile material such as Plutonium and Highly-Enriched Uranium. The main challenge in detecting fast neutrons consists in the discrimination of the signal from the gamma radiation background. At present, the only well-investigated organic crystal scintillator for fast neutron detection, in a n/{gamma} mixed field, is stilbene, which while offering good pulse shape discrimination, is not widely used because of its limited availability and high cost. In this work we report the results of our studies made with a number of new organic crystals, which exhibit pulse shape discrimination for detection of fast neutrons. In particular 1,1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,3-butadiene features a light yield higher than anthracene and a Figure of Merit (FOM) for the pulse shape discrimination better than stilbene. New crystals are good candidates for the low-cost solution growth method, thus representing promising organic scintillators for widespread deployment for high-energy neutron detection.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 965950
• Report Number(s): LLNL-JRNL-411978; IETNAE; TRN: US0903999
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 56, Issue 3; ISSN 0018-9499
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUMM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANTHRACENE
DETECTION
FAST NEUTRONS
FISSILE MATERIALS
GAMMA RADIATION
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PHOSPHORS
PLUTONIUM
SHAPE
STILBENE
URANIUM