Neutron Detection in Mixed Neutron-Gamma Fields with Common NaI(Tl) Detectors

<p>Searching digitized detector signals for piled-up delayed components with distinct energy and delay time signatures is a smart method to provide common NaI(Tl) detectors with additional neutron detection capabilities at no extra cost. This technique nicely complements the idea of neutron detection by analyzing events with high energy depositions above the range of common gamma-ray energies. In combination, both approaches can provide half of the neutron sensitivity offered by a commercial ⁶Li co-doped NaI(Tl) (NaIL™) scintillator of the same size, at the price of higher and load-dependent background contributions. Delayed-coincidence techniques are most suitable for neutron monitoring or long-term measurements, where the statistics of the acquired delay-time distributions allows separate fitting of the effect and background contributions. In this case, the thermal neutron flux can be quantified in parallel to gamma-ray spectroscopy at overall detector loads exceeding 10 kcps.</p>

Neutron Detection in Mixed Neutron-Gamma Fields with Common NaI(Tl) Detectors

<p>Searching digitized detector signals for piled-up delayed components with distinct energy and delay time signatures is a smart method to provide common NaI(Tl) detectors with additional neutron detection capabilities at no extra cost. This technique nicely complements the idea of neutron detection by analyzing events with high energy depositions above the range of common gamma-ray energies. In combination, both approaches can provide half of the neutron sensitivity offered by a commercial ⁶Li co-doped NaI(Tl) (NaIL™) scintillator of the same size, at the price of higher and load-dependent background contributions. Delayed-coincidence techniques are most suitable for neutron monitoring or long-term measurements, where the statistics of the acquired delay-time distributions allows separate fitting of the effect and background contributions. In this case, the thermal neutron flux can be quantified in parallel to gamma-ray spectroscopy at overall detector loads exceeding 10 kcps.</p>

Growth and scintillation properties of LiBr/CeBr3 eutectic scintillator for neutron detection

The 6LiBr/CeBr3 eutectic scintillator for thermal neutron detection has been developed due to achieving high 6Li concentration. The eutectics were grown by vertical Bridgman method. Molar ratio of 6Li in 6LiBr/CeBr3 eutectic is 35 %, which is higher than that of commercial neutron scintillators such Ce:LiCaAlF6 and Ce:Cs2LiYCl6. The grown eutectic had lamellar-type eutectic structure extending along the growth direction and optical transparency. The grown eutectics showed an emission peak at 360 and 380 nm ascribed to Ce3+ 4f-5d transition from CeBr3 scintillation phase. The measurements of scintillation performance of the 6LiBr/CeBr3 were performed using x-ray, gamma-ray and neutron irradiation to evaluate its potential as a neutron scintillator.

NaI(Tl+Li) scintillator as multirange energies neutron detector

Novel NaIL detector (5 × 6 inch) was investigated for its neutron detection in wide energy range. It has been found that the detector together with its known ability to detect the γ-radiation it also allows to distinguish neutron signals in three quasi-independent ways. It is sensitive to neutron fluxes on a level down to 10-3 cm-2 s-1. In this work intrinsic α-background and neutron detection sensitivity for the NaIL detector were obtained. Experimental data was compared with results of Geant4 Monte Carlo (MC).

Optimizing the Teflon thickness for fast neutron detection using a Ge detector

The optimum Teflon (C2F4)n thickness for fast neutron detection through the 19F(n,α)16N reaction was calculated and found to be ≈ 5.0 cm. Here, the 6.13 MeV γ ray emitted by 16N is assumed to be detected by a Ge diode. The geometry of the system is discussed and the γ line intensity was found to vary weakly with Teflon thickness.

A stopping layer concept to improve the spatial resolution of GEM neutron detector

In recent years, Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) neutron detector has been developing towards high spatial resolution and high dynamic counting range. A novel concept of the Al stopping layer was proposed to enable the detector to achieve sub-millimeter (sub-mm) spatial resolution. The neutron conversion layer was coated with the Al stopping layer to limit the emission angle of ions into the drift region. The short track projection of ions was obtained on the signal readout board, and the detector would get good spatial resolution. The spatial resolutions of the GEM neutron detector with Al stopping layer were simulated and optimized based on Geant4GarfieldInterface. When Al stopping layer was 3.0 μm thick, drift region was 2 mm thick, strip pitch was 600 μm, and digital readout was employed. The spatial resolution of the detector was 0.76 mm, and the thermal neutron detection efficiency was about 0.01%. Thus, the GEM neutron detector with a simple detector structure and a fast readout mode was developed to obtain a high spatial resolution and high dynamic counting range. It could be used for the direct measurement of a high-flux neutron beam, such as Bragg transmission imaging, very small-angle scattering neutron detection and neutron beam diagnostic.

Research and Application of Neutron Detection Technology in Inspection of Void Defects in Turbine Runner Chamber

After a long-term operation of the turbine runner chamber, there may be voids between the steel lining and the concrete. If it is not discovered and treated in time, the safe and stable operation of the unit will be affected. In engineering practice, the hammering method is often used to detect hole defects, and the accuracy is low. The neutron detection technology is proposed to detect the void defects of the steel lining, quantitatively display the void location and size, and improve the accuracy of void defect detection.