Selection of Silicon Photomultipliers for a 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) Scintillator Based Cold Neutron Detector

Published

April 8, 2018

Author(s)

A. Osovizky, Kevin N. Pritchard, Y. Yehuda-Zada, Jeffrey B. Ziegler, Peter NMN Tsai, M. Ghelman, Alan Keith Thompson, R. M. Ibberson, George M. Baltic, Charles Majkrzak, Nicholas C. Maliszewskyj

Abstract

We describe the process of selecting a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) as the light sensor for an ultrathin (2 nm) highly efficient cold neutron proportional counter. The neutron detector consists of ⁶LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator in which wavelength shifting (WLS) fibers have been embedded. The WLS fibers conduct the scintillation light out from the scintillator to the SiPM photosensor. In addition to the many benefits of using silicon photomultipliers as photosensors (low cost, compast size, insensitivity to magnetic fields), their selection also presents many challenges (thermally induced dark noise, delayed cross talk, afterplusing, etc.) which are not shared by traditional photomultiplier tubes. In this work, we discuss the consideration for the selection of the appropriate silicon photomultiplier to achieve the best net neutron sensitivity and gamma ray rejection ratio.

Citation

Journal of Physics Communications

Volume

2

Issue

4

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

SiPM, neutron detector, CANDoR, Gamma Rejection, 6Li:ZnS(Ag), photosensor

Citation

Osovizky, A. , Pritchard, K. , Yehuda-Zada, Y. , Ziegler, J. , Tsai, P. , Ghelman, M. , Thompson, A. , Ibberson, R. , Baltic, G. , Majkrzak, C. and Maliszewskyj, N. (2018), Selection of Silicon Photomultipliers for a ⁶LiF:ZnS(Ag) Scintillator Based Cold Neutron Detector, Journal of Physics Communications, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=923913 (Accessed April 26, 2024)