TY - JOUR

T1 - A remotely triggered fast neutron detection instrument based on a plastic organic scintillator

AU - Jones, Ashley Richard

AU - Aspinall, Michael Douglas

AU - Joyce, Malcolm John

N1 - Will be Gold OA -DOA NEEDED

PY - 2018/2/27

Y1 - 2018/2/27

N2 - A detector system for the characterization of radiation fields of both fast neutrons and γ rays is described comprising of a gated photomultiplier tube (PMT), an EJ299-33 solid organic scintillator detector and an external trigger circuit. The objective of this development was to conceive a means by which the PMT in such a system can be actuated remotely during the high-intensity bursts of pulsed γ-ray contamination that can arise during active interrogation procedures. The system is used to detect neutrons and γ rays using established pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) techniques. The gating circuit enables the PMT to be switched off remotely. This is compatible with use during intense radiation transients to avoid saturation and the disruption of the operation of the PMT during the burst. Data are presented in the form of pulse-height spectra and PSD scatter plots for the system triggered with a strobed light source. These confirm that the gain of the system and the throughput for both triggered and un-triggered scenarios are as expected given the duty cycle of the stimulating radiation. This demonstrates that the triggering function does not perturb the system response of the detector.

AB - A detector system for the characterization of radiation fields of both fast neutrons and γ rays is described comprising of a gated photomultiplier tube (PMT), an EJ299-33 solid organic scintillator detector and an external trigger circuit. The objective of this development was to conceive a means by which the PMT in such a system can be actuated remotely during the high-intensity bursts of pulsed γ-ray contamination that can arise during active interrogation procedures. The system is used to detect neutrons and γ rays using established pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) techniques. The gating circuit enables the PMT to be switched off remotely. This is compatible with use during intense radiation transients to avoid saturation and the disruption of the operation of the PMT during the burst. Data are presented in the form of pulse-height spectra and PSD scatter plots for the system triggered with a strobed light source. These confirm that the gain of the system and the throughput for both triggered and un-triggered scenarios are as expected given the duty cycle of the stimulating radiation. This demonstrates that the triggering function does not perturb the system response of the detector.

U2 - 10.1063/1.5012121

DO - 10.1063/1.5012121

M3 - Journal article

VL - 89

JO - Review of Scientific Instruments

JF - Review of Scientific Instruments

SN - 0034-6748

IS - 2

M1 - 023115

ER -