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PUBLICATIONS

Measuring Deadtime and Double-Counts in a Non-Paralyzable Scintillating Neutron Detector using Arrival Time Statistics

Published

Author(s)

Kevin N. Pritchard, Jean Philippe Chabot, Peter Tsai, R. Roubucci, F. S. Choa, A. Osovizky, Jeffrey B. Ziegler, Louis E. Binkley, Nancy Hadad, M. Jackson, C. Hurlbut, George M. Baltic, Charles Majkrzak, Nicholas C. Maliszewskyj

Abstract

A 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) based cold neutron detector with wavelength shifting (WLS) fibers and SiPM photodetector was developed at the NIST Center for Neutron Research for the CANDoR instrument (Chromatic Analysis Neutron Diffractometer or Reflectometer). The scintillation response of ZnS(Ag) to 6Li fission products is a long and irregular delayed fluorescence lasting more than 50υs. To wait as long as 60υs for complete fluorescence decay would impose an unreasonably long deadtime to the system and would severely limit the count rate of this detector. A real-time algorithm was implemented to compensate for the long fluorescence decay, reducing but not eliminating sensitivity for a 60υs period. This greatly reduces the deadtime to approximately 3υs compared to imposing a 60υs hold-off time, while also achieving a doublecount fraction (counting the same event multiple times) below 1E-4. Timestamping capabilities of the detector system were used to compile arrival time statistics. Comparisons of the measured arrival time statistics with Poisson arrival statistics illustrates features in the fluorescence compensation algorithm and enables the calculation of deadtime and double-count fraction.
Citation
Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research A
Volume
1001
Pub Type
Journals
Alternative energy

Citation

Pritchard, K. , Chabot, J. , Tsai, P. , Roubucci, R. , Choa, F. , Osovizky, A. , Ziegler, J. , Binkley, L. , Hadad, N. , Jackson, M. , Hurlbut, C. , Baltic, G. , Majkrzak, C. and Maliszewskyj, N. (2021), Measuring Deadtime and Double-Counts in a Non-Paralyzable Scintillating Neutron Detector using Arrival Time Statistics, Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research A (Accessed April 18, 2024)

Created June 10, 2021, Updated September 28, 2021