Investigation of background in large-area neutron detectors due to alpha emission from impurities in aluminium

J. Birch, J. -C. Buffet, J. -F. Clergeau, P. van Esch, M. Ferraton, B. Guerard, Richard Hall-Wilton, L. Hultman, C. Hoglund, J. Jensen, Anton Khaplanov, F. Piscitelli

    Forskningsoutput: TidskriftsbidragArtikel i vetenskaplig tidskriftPeer review

    Sammanfattning

    Thermal neutron detector based on films of (B4C)-B-10 have been developed as an alternative to He-3 detectors. In particular, The Multi-Grid detector concept is considered for future large area detectors for ESS and ILL instruments. An excellent signal-to-background ratio is essential to attain expected scientific results. Aluminium is the most natural material for the mechanical structure of of the Multi-Grid detector and other similar concepts due to its mechanical and neutronic properties. Due to natural concentration of alpha emitters, however, the background from alpha particles misidentified as neutrons can be unacceptably high. We present our experience operating a detector prototype affected by this issue. Monte Carlo simulations have been used to confirm the background as alpha particles. The issues have been addressed in the more recent implementations of the Multi-Grid detector by the use of purified aluminium as well as Ni-plating of standard aluminium. The result is the reduction in background by two orders of magnitude. A new large-area prototype has been built incorporating these modifications.
    Originalspråkengelska
    ArtikelnummerP10019
    TidskriftJournal of Instrumentation
    Volym10
    DOI
    StatusPublished - 2015

    Ämnesklassifikation (UKÄ)

    • Acceleratorfysik och instrumentering

    Fingeravtryck

    Utforska forskningsämnen för ”Investigation of background in large-area neutron detectors due to alpha emission from impurities in aluminium”. Tillsammans bildar de ett unikt fingeravtryck.

    Citera det här