A background-free direction-sensitive neutron detector
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Fisher_A background.pdf
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Author(s)
Roccaro, Alvaro
Tomita, H.
Ahlen, S.
Avery, D.
Inglis, A.
Battat, James
Dujmic, D.
Henderson, Shawn Wesley
Kaboth, Asher Cunningham
Kohse, G.
Date Issued
July 2009
Journal
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
Roccaro, Alvaro et al. “A Background-free Direction-sensitive Neutron Detector.” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 608.2 (2009): 305–309.
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
We show data from a new type of detector that can be used to determine the neutron flux, the energy distribution, and the direction of motion neutron for both fast and thermal neutrons. Many neutron detectors are plagued by large backgrounds from X-rays and gamma rays, and most current neutron detectors lack single-event energy sensitivity or any information on neutron directionality. Even the best detectors are limited by cosmic ray neutron backgrounds. All applications (neutron scattering and radiography, measurements of solar and cosmic ray neutron flux, measurements of neutron interaction cross-sections, monitoring of neutrons at nuclear facilities, oil exploration, and searches for fissile weapons of mass destruction) will benefit from the improved neutron detection sensitivity and improved measurements of neutron properties made possible by this detector. The detector is free of backgrounds from X-rays, gamma rays, beta particles, relativistic singely charged particles, and cosmic ray neutrons. It is sensitive to thermal neutrons, fission neutrons, and high energy neutrons with detection features distinctive for each energy range. It is capable of determining the location of a source of fission neutrons based on the characteristics of elastic scattering of neutrons by helium nuclei. The detector we have constructed could identify 1 g of reactor grade plutonium, 1 m away, with less than 1 min of observation time.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research
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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2009.06.102
