Design and Testing of a Position-Sensitive Plastic Scintillator Detector for Fast Neutron Imaging

Bravar, U.; Bruillard, Paul; Flückiger, E. O.; Macri, J.; McConnell, Mark L.; Möser, Michael; Ryan, J. M.; Woolf, Richard S.

doi:10.1109/tns.2006.886046

Cited by 27 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(11 reference statements)

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“…Afterward, a fast neutron imaging telescope (FNIT) [16][17][18] is developed to monitor special nuclear material (SNM). In this detector, the recoil proton is seen to lose all its energy at a point.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a fast neutron spectrometer based on a plastic fiber array

Zeng

Sun

Zhuang

et al. 2017

Radiat Detect Technol Methods

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Objective A three-dimensional position-sensitive fast neutron spectrometer is designed to measure fast neutron spectrum over 10 MeV. Methods The detector consists of a 16 × 16 mutually perpendicular plastic scintillation fiber array coupled to 2 × 2 Hamamatsu H8500C position-sensitive photomultiplier tubes by optical fibers. The fiber array is fabricated with 0.5 mm × 3 mm fibers and 3-mm square fibers. Results Due to the combined application of different sizes of fibers, the detector can broaden energy dynamic range and meanwhile have good detection efficiency. The method of the combined application of different sizes of plastic fibers in the array may provide a solution to measure wider energy range of solar neutrons. Conclusion In this paper, we used FLUKA to simulate the performance of the detector model and report the results of experimental studies with neutrons from a pulsed D-T neutron.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a fast neutron spectrometer based on a plastic fiber array

Zeng

Sun

Zhuang

et al. 2017

Radiat Detect Technol Methods

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“…In 2005, the Fast Neutron Imaging Telescope (FNIT) was constructed to measure solar flare neutrons from 2 MeV to 20 MeV [9][10][11]. Neutrons of these energies are highly attenuated by Earth's atmosphere; therefore, the FNIT was designed to operate on spacecraft where weight, size, and power constraints are stringent.…”

Section: Previous Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Model-based design evaluation of a compact, high-efficiency neutron scatter camera

Weinfurther

Mattingly

Brubaker

et al. 2018

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A:

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This paper presents the model-based design and evaluation of an instrument that estimates incident neutron direction using the kinematics of neutron scattering by hydrogen-1 nuclei in an organic scintillator. The instrument design uses a single, nearly contiguous volume of organic scintillator that is internally subdivided only as necessary to create optically isolated pillars, i.e., long, narrow parallelepipeds of organic scintillator. Scintillation light emitted in a given pillar is confined to that pillar by a combination of total internal reflection and a specular reflector applied to the four sides of the pillar transverse to its long axis. The scintillation light is collected at each end of the pillar using a photodetector, e.g., a microchannel plate photomultiplier (MCP-PM) or a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). In this optically segmented design, the (x, y) position of scintillation light emission (where the x and y coordinates are transverse to the long axis of the pillars) is estimated as the pillar's (x, y) position in the scintillator "block", and the z-position (the position along the pillar's long axis) is estimated from the amplitude and relative timing of the signals produced by the photodetectors at each end of the pillar. The neutron's incident direction and energy is estimated from the (x, y, z)-positions of two sequential neutron-proton scattering interactions in the scintillator block using elastic scatter kinematics. For proton recoils greater than 1 MeV, we show that the (x, y, z)-position of neutron-proton scattering can be estimated with < 1 cm root-mean-squared [RMS] error and the proton recoil energy can be estimated with < 50 keV RMS error by fitting the photodetectors' response time history to models of optical photon transport within the scintillator pillars. Finally, we evaluate several alternative designs of this proposed single-volume scatter camera made of pillars of plastic scintillator (SVSC-PiPS), studying the effect of pillar dimensions, scintillator material (EJ-204, EJ-232Q and stilbene), and photodetector (MCP-PM vs. SiPM) response vs. time. We demonstrate that the most precise estimates of incident neutron direction and energy can be obtained using a combination of scintillator material with high luminosity and a photodetector with a narrow impulse response. Specifically, we conclude that an SVSC-PiPS constructed using EJ-204 (a high luminosity plastic scintillator) and an MCP-PM will produce the most precise estimates of incident neutron direction and energy.

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“…Liquid scintillator was chosen over plastic since it provides the unique advantage of pulse shape discrimination (PSD) between neutrons and -rays [10]. The 1.5 cm diameter of the scintillator bar is a compromise used to maximize the probability of having one elastic n-p scattering take place, while minimizing the chance of having more than one such scattering occur in the same bar [3].…”

Section: Neutron Detection and Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The FNIT concept evolved through a series of significantly different structural designs [3]. A full prototype science model was recently assembled at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and underwent performance testing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design optimization and performance capabilities of the fast neutron imaging telescope (FNIT)

Bravar

Bruillard

Flückiger

et al. 2007

2007 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record

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We describe the design optimization process and performance characterization of a next generation neutron telescope, with imaging and energy measurement capabilities, sensitive to neutrons in the 1-20 MeV energy range. The response of the Fast Neutron Imaging Telescope (FNIT), its efficiency in neutron detection, energy resolution and imaging capabilities were characterized through a combination of lab tests and Monte Carlo simulations. Monte Carlo simulations, together with experimental data, are also being used in the development and testing of the image reconstruction algorithm. FNIT was initially conceived to study solar neutrons as a candidate instrument for the Inner Heliosphere Sentinel (IHS) spacecraft. However, the design of this detector was eventually adapted to locate Special Nuclear Material (SNM) sources for homeland security purposes, by detecting fission neutrons. In either case, the detection principle is based on multiple elastic neutron-proton scatterings in organic scintillator. By reconstructing event locations and measuring the recoil proton energies, the direction and energy spectrum of the primary neutron flux can be determined and neutron sources identified. This paper presents the most recent results arising from our efforts and outlines the performance of the FNIT detector.

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Design and Testing of a Position-Sensitive Plastic Scintillator Detector for Fast Neutron Imaging

Cited by 27 publications

References 11 publications

Development of a fast neutron spectrometer based on a plastic fiber array

Development of a fast neutron spectrometer based on a plastic fiber array

Model-based design evaluation of a compact, high-efficiency neutron scatter camera

Design optimization and performance capabilities of the fast neutron imaging telescope (FNIT)

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