Investigations of surface coatings to reduce memory effect in plastic scintillator detectors used for radioxenon detection

Blackberg, Lisa; Fay, A. G.; Jõgi, Indrek; Biegalski, Steven R; Boman, Mats; Elmgren, K.; Fritioff, T.; Johansson, Alicia; Mårtensson, L.; Nielsen, F.; Ringbom, Anders; Rooth, Mårten; Sjöstrand, Henrik; Klintenberg, Mattias

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2011.07.038

Cited by 28 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Early coating attempts used metallic coatings that were sputtered onto the inner surface of the plastic β-cells [38], but the temperature needed to sputter the metal to plastic damaged the scintillating plastic. Separately, FOI and X-Ray Instrumentation Associates, LLC (XIA) studied the suitability of coatings such as Al 2 O 3 to reduce the memory effect [39][40][41][42]. FOI worked with a commercial entity, Nanexa, to develop a coating method using Al 2 O 3 that appears to bond well without negative impact to the detection efficiency, and small impact on resolution.…”

Section: Memory Effect and Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radioxenon net count calculations revisited

Cooper

Auer²,

Bowyer

et al. 2019

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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Since 1998, there have been improvements in the capability to detect atmospheric radioxenon in the International Monitoring System operated by the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. The upgrades have resulted in next-generation versions of the radioxenon systems. This paper explores radioxenon data analysis improvements beyond the original radioxenon beta-gamma analysis equations that were formulated in 2000. Additionally, it provides recommendations to further improve analysis and refine the equations. The areas of improvement are described in terms of equations, physical detectors, and field-testing. These recommendations are provided with the intention of improving accuracy and precision of radioxenon measurements.

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Section: Memory Effect and Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radioxenon net count calculations revisited

Cooper

Auer²,

Bowyer

et al. 2019

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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“…The Swedish Automatic Unit for Noble Gas Acquisition (SAUNA) [1] is a radioxenon detection system used for verifying compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) 3 . SAUNA measures the atmospheric concentration of 133 Xe, 135 Xe, 131m Xe and 133m Xe, to discover the occurrence of a nuclear test explosion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One suggested coating material is Al 2 O 3 deposited with atomic layer deposition (ALD) [3]. It is important that the system can distinguish the 129 and 199 keV CE peaks from 131m Xe and 133m Xe, respectively [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-efficiency watt-level 1014 nm single-frequency laser based on short Yb-doped phosphate fiber amplifiers

Yang

et al. 2014

Appl. Phys. Express

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Atomic layer deposition coatings are under investigation to reduce the diffusion of radioxenon into plastic scintillators. This paper investigates the impact of such surface coating on the light collection efficiency in a cylindrical geometry. A high and uniform light collection efficiency is important to preserve detector resolution. Monte Carlo simulations and measurements have been carried out to study the influence of coating thickness, refractive index and surface quality. It was found that it is important to achieve a smooth coating and good optical match between the refractive indices of the coating and the plastic scintillator. Taking into account these considerations, the detector under study could be coated without a significant degradation of its resolution.

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“…For example, efforts were made to simplify and redesign a beta/gamma well detector with CsI and BC-404 scintillators [6], and to modify the SAUNA detector for a portable version [7]. coating of the BC-404 was studied to reduce the memory effect [8], [9]. A more sophisticated concept, first described in [10] for radioxenon detectors, is the use of optically coupled scintillators in a phoswich detector read out with a single photomultiplier 0018-9499 © 2014 IEEE.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a Phoswich Detector for Radioxenon Field Measurements

Hennig

Asztalos

Warburton

et al. 2014

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization deploys a variety of radioxenon detection systems as part of its International Monitoring System to detect nuclear explosions. To achieve the high sensitivity required, the systems extract xenon from several cubic meters of air and look for characteristic radioactive emissions, using either high resolution high purity germanium gamma detectors or multiple scintillators for high efficiency beta/gamma coincidence detection. The high sensitivity comes at the expense of heavy lead shielding, and for the latter, calibration and gain matching of multiple photomultiplier tubes as well as a memory effect of the plastic scintillator used for beta detection which absorbs Xe. Existing systems are also stationary by design, though in some applications, for example on-site inspections, a portable detector is required. In this work, we therefore redesigned a previously developed phoswich detector to reduce size, weight, cost, complexity and memory effect with only minor impact on the sensitivity. The phoswich design requires only a single photomultiplier tube with beta/gamma coincidences being detected by digital pulse shape analysis. Additional gain stabilization addresses varying environmental field conditions, such as temperature changes. Three phoswich geometries were modeled through Monte Carlo simulations, the most promising was built and tested. In this paper we describe each of the initial designs, their simulated performances and the factors that lead us to the chosen design. Preliminary results from testing of the prototype detector are presented and compared with simulation.

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Investigations of surface coatings to reduce memory effect in plastic scintillator detectors used for radioxenon detection

Cited by 28 publications

References 21 publications

Radioxenon net count calculations revisited

Radioxenon net count calculations revisited

High-efficiency watt-level 1014 nm single-frequency laser based on short Yb-doped phosphate fiber amplifiers

Development of a Phoswich Detector for Radioxenon Field Measurements

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