GAMBE: multipurpose sandwich detector for neutrons and photons

Ahmed, A ORCID: 0000-0002-9281-6896, Burdin, S ORCID: 0000-0003-4831-4132, Casse, G ORCID: 0000-0002-8516-237X, van Zalinge, H ORCID: 0000-0003-0996-1281, Powel, S, Rees, J, Smith, A and Tsurin, I (2016) GAMBE: multipurpose sandwich detector for neutrons and photons. In: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications.

Text SPIE_paper_9969_13.pdf - Author Accepted Manuscript Download (1MB)

Abstract

Detectors made with semiconductors such as silicon can be efficiently used for detecting and imaging neutrons when coated with suitable materials. They detect the charged reaction products resulting from the interaction of thermal neutrons with materials with high capture cross section like 10B, 6Li, and 6LiF. This work describes the performance of a thermal neutron detector system, GAMBE, which is based on silicon sensors and a layer of neutron-sensitive material, such as a lithium fluoride film or a lithium-6 foil, in a sandwich configuration. This arrangement has a total detection efficiency of 4 ± 2 %, 7 ± 1 %, and12 ± 1 % for 7 μm 6LiF film, 40 μm and 70 μm 6Li foil respectively. Also, it enhances the rejection of fake hits using a simple coincidence method. The coincidence that defines a true neutron hit is the simultaneous signal recorded by the two sensors facing the conversion layer (or foil). These coincidences provide a very good method for rejecting the spurious hits coming from gamma-rays, which are usually present in the neutron field under measurement. The GAMBE system yields a rejection factor at the level of 108 allowing very pure neutron detection in high gamma background conditions. However, the price to pay is a reduction of the detection efficiency of 1 ± 1 % or 0:9 ± 0:3 % for 7 μm 6LiF film and 40 μm 6Li foil respectively.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Unspecified)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Neutron detector, Semiconductor detector, Neutron detection, Neutron conversion
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	27 Jan 2017 11:50
Last Modified:	14 Mar 2024 19:01
DOI:	10.1117/12.2236752
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3005193