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Real-time digital pulse-shape discrimination in non-hazardous fast liquid scintillation detectors: prospects for safety and security

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Real-time digital pulse-shape discrimination in non-hazardous fast liquid scintillation detectors: prospects for safety and security. / Joyce, Malcolm; Aspinall, Michael; Cave, Frank et al.
In: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 59, No. 4, 2012, p. 1245-1251.

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@article{71054934c17740d38a5d8d669e397330,
title = "Real-time digital pulse-shape discrimination in non-hazardous fast liquid scintillation detectors: prospects for safety and security",
abstract = "Pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) in fast, organic scintillation detectors is a long-established technique used to separate neutrons and $gamma$ rays in mixed radiation fields. In the analogue domain the method can achieve separation in real time, but all knowledge of the pulses themselves is lost thereby preventing the possibility of any post- or repeated analysis. Also, it is typically reliant on electronic systems that are largely obsolete and which require significant experience to set up. In the digital domain, PSD is often more flexible but significant post-processing has usually been necessary to obtain neutron/ $gamma$-ray separation. Moreover, the scintillation media on which the technique relies usually have a low flashpoint and are thus deemed hazardous. This complicates the ease with which they are used in industrial applications. In this paper, results obtained with a new portable digital pulse-shape discrimination instrument are described. This instrument provides real-time, digital neutron/ $gamma$-ray separation whilst preserving the synchronization with the time-of-arrival for each event, and realizing throughputs of $3 times 10^{6}$ events per second. Furthermore, this system has been tested with a scintillation medium that is non-flammable and not hazardous. ",
keywords = "Instrumentation and measurement , neutrons , nuclear electronics , nuclear measurements",
author = "Malcolm Joyce and Michael Aspinall and Frank Cave and Anthony Lavietes",
year = "2012",
doi = "10.1109/TNS.2011.2174651",
language = "English",
volume = "59",
pages = "1245--1251",
journal = "IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science",
issn = "0018-9499",
publisher = "IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC",
number = "4",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Real-time digital pulse-shape discrimination in non-hazardous fast liquid scintillation detectors: prospects for safety and security

AU - Joyce, Malcolm

AU - Aspinall, Michael

AU - Cave, Frank

AU - Lavietes, Anthony

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) in fast, organic scintillation detectors is a long-established technique used to separate neutrons and $gamma$ rays in mixed radiation fields. In the analogue domain the method can achieve separation in real time, but all knowledge of the pulses themselves is lost thereby preventing the possibility of any post- or repeated analysis. Also, it is typically reliant on electronic systems that are largely obsolete and which require significant experience to set up. In the digital domain, PSD is often more flexible but significant post-processing has usually been necessary to obtain neutron/ $gamma$-ray separation. Moreover, the scintillation media on which the technique relies usually have a low flashpoint and are thus deemed hazardous. This complicates the ease with which they are used in industrial applications. In this paper, results obtained with a new portable digital pulse-shape discrimination instrument are described. This instrument provides real-time, digital neutron/ $gamma$-ray separation whilst preserving the synchronization with the time-of-arrival for each event, and realizing throughputs of $3 times 10^{6}$ events per second. Furthermore, this system has been tested with a scintillation medium that is non-flammable and not hazardous.

AB - Pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) in fast, organic scintillation detectors is a long-established technique used to separate neutrons and $gamma$ rays in mixed radiation fields. In the analogue domain the method can achieve separation in real time, but all knowledge of the pulses themselves is lost thereby preventing the possibility of any post- or repeated analysis. Also, it is typically reliant on electronic systems that are largely obsolete and which require significant experience to set up. In the digital domain, PSD is often more flexible but significant post-processing has usually been necessary to obtain neutron/ $gamma$-ray separation. Moreover, the scintillation media on which the technique relies usually have a low flashpoint and are thus deemed hazardous. This complicates the ease with which they are used in industrial applications. In this paper, results obtained with a new portable digital pulse-shape discrimination instrument are described. This instrument provides real-time, digital neutron/ $gamma$-ray separation whilst preserving the synchronization with the time-of-arrival for each event, and realizing throughputs of $3 times 10^{6}$ events per second. Furthermore, this system has been tested with a scintillation medium that is non-flammable and not hazardous.

KW - Instrumentation and measurement

KW - neutrons

KW - nuclear electronics

KW - nuclear measurements

U2 - 10.1109/TNS.2011.2174651

DO - 10.1109/TNS.2011.2174651

M3 - Journal article

VL - 59

SP - 1245

EP - 1251

JO - IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

JF - IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

SN - 0018-9499

IS - 4

ER -