(B4C)-B-10 Multi-Grid as an Alternative to He-3 for Large Area Neutron Detectors

Summary, in English

Despite its present shortage, He-3 continues to be the most common neutron converter for detectors in neutron scattering science. However, it is obvious that the development of large area neutron detectors based on alternative neutron converters is rapidly becoming a matter of urgency. In the technique presented here, grids each comprising 28 (B4C)-B-10 layers ( each 1 mu m thick) are used to convert neutrons into ionizing particles which are subsequently detected in proportional gas counters. The total active area of the prototype is 8 cm x 200 cm. To instrument this detector 4.6 m(2) of B-10-enriched boron carbide were coated onto aluminium blades using a DC magnetron sputtering machine. Characterization of the prototype showed neutron efficiency to be epsilon(n) = 46.8% for 2.5 angstrom neutrons, which is in line with expectations from MC simulation. This result demonstrates the potential of this technique as alternative to He-3-based position sensitive detectors.

• Författare: J. Birch; J. C. Buffet; J. Correa; P. van Esch; B. Guerard; Richard Hall-Wilton; Carina Höglund; L. Hultman; Anton Khaplanov; F. Piscitelli
• Avdelning/ar: European Spallation Source ESS AB
• Publiceringsår: 2013
• Språk: Engelska
• Sidor: 871-878
• Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
• Volym: 60
• Issue: 2
• Länkar: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2012.2227798
• Dokumenttyp: Artikel i tidskrift
• Förlag: IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
• Ämne: Physical Sciences; Natural Sciences
• Nyckelord: Boron-lined detector; multi-grid neutron detector; He-3 crisis
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt: ISSN: 0018-9499