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At least 1,063 records · Page 59

Segmented YSO scintillation detectors as a new β -implant detection tool for decay spectroscopy in fragmentation facilities

A newly developed segmented YSO scintillator detector was implemented for the first time at the RI-beam Factory at RIKEN Nishina Center as an implantation-decay counter. The results from the experiment demonstrate that the detector is a viable alternative to conventional silicon-strip detectors with its good timing resolution and high detection efficiency for β particles. A Position-Sensitive Photo-Multiplier Tube (PSPMT) is coupled with a 48 × 48 segmented YSO crystal. To demonstrate its capabilities, a known short-lived isomer in 76 Ni and the β decay of 74 Co were measured by implanting those ions into the YSO detector. The half-lives and γ-rays observed in this work are consistent with the known values. The β -ray detection efficiency is more than 80 % for the decay of 74 Co.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Compact readout of large CLYC scintillators with silicon photomultipler arrays

Compact readout of a large (5 x 5 x 5 cm 3) CLYC scintillator was demonstrated with a 8 x 8 array of 6mm silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs, specifically, a SensL ArrayJ-60035-64P) and an optimized amplification and summing circuit. Read out by the SiPM array, the crystal yielded an energy resolution of 5.5% at 662 keV and a figure of merit of 3.5, equivalent to the performance achieved with a 3-inch Hamamatsu R6233-100 PMT. To reduce channel count and avoid individual amplification of each SiPM in the array, the standard outputs of 16 SiPMs were passively summed then amplified. A current feedback amplifier was used for each channel to provide the required fast response time. The four amplified channels were then passively summed resulting in a single signal channel. A custom laboratory setup, based on the PSD8C ASIC, was used to capture the output and provide time-gated integration for PSD computation. We conclude the compact volume, low bias voltage, and reduced mass of the SiPM array readout are desirable for space and national security applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Characterization of a silicon photo-multiplier array with summing board as a photo-multiplier tube replacement in organic scintillator assemblies

In this work, we report on the energy, timing, and pulse-shape discrimination performance of cylindrical 5.08 cm diameter x 5.08 cm thick and 7.62 cm diameter x 7.62 cm thick trans-stilbene crystals read out with the passively summed output of three different commercial silicon photo-multiplier arrays. Our results indicate that using the summed output of an 8 x 8 array of SiPMs provides performance competitive with photo-multiplier tubes for many neutron imaging and correlated particle measurements. For a 5.08 cm diameter x 5.08 cm thick crystal read out with SensL’s ArrayJ-60035_64P-PCB, which had the best overall properties, we measure the energy resolution as 17.8 ± 0.8% at 341 keVee (σ/E), the timing resolution in the 180–400 keVee range as 236 ± 61 ps (σ), and the pulse-shape discrimination figure-of-merit as 2.21 ± 0.03 in the 230–260 keVee energy range. For a 7.62 cm diameter x 7.62 cm thick crystal read out with SensL’s ArrayJ-60035_64P-PCB, we measure the energy resolution as 21.9 ± 2.3% at 341 keVee, the timing resolution in the 180–400 keVee range as 518 ± 42 ps, and the pulse-shape discrimination figure-of-merit as 1.49 ± 0.01 in the 230–260 keVee energy range. Our findings enable many scintillator-based instruments to enjoy the size, robustness, and power benefits of silicon photo-multiplier arrays as replacement for the photo-multiplier tubes that are predominantly used today.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Fast-neutron response of LaBr 3 (Ce) and LaCl 3 (Ce) scintillators

The response of LaBr 3 (Ce) and LaCl 3 (Ce) scintillators to fast neutrons is investigated. Neutron-induced charged-particle reactions are observed in both materials when exposed to the fast neutrons produced by an AmBe source, with pulse-shape discrimination used to separate channels. LaBr 3 (Ce) is found to have the best separation between reaction channels, while LaCl 3 (Ce) has a significantly higher efficiency.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

The electronic set-up for the scintillation light detection system of ICARUS-SBN at Fermilab

The ICARUS-T600 Liquid Argon (LAr) Time Projection Chamber (TPC) is presently used as the far detector of the Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program at Fermilab (USA) to search for a possible sterile neutrino signal with the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB). We discuss a light detection system, based on 360 Hamamatsu R5912-MOD Photo-Multiplier Tubes (PMTs), which has been realized to detect vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons produced after the passage of ionizing particles in LAr. High performance electronics allows recording of the PMT signals and provides a fast discrimination for the exploitation of the scintillation light for trigger purposes. This system is fundamental for the TPC operation, contributing to the trigger system and for the 3D reconstruction of events.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Liquid scintillation counting methodology for 99 Tc analysis. A remedy for radiopharmaceutical waste

This paper presents a new approach for liquid scintillation counting (LSC) analysis of single-radionuclide samples containing appreciable organic or inorganic quench. This work offers better analytical results than existing LSC methods for technetium-99 ( 99g Tc) analysis with significant savings in analysis cost and time. The method was developed to quantify 99g Tc in environmental liquid and urine samples using LSC. Method efficiency was measured in the presence of 1.9 to 11,900 ppm total dissolved solids. The quench curve was proved to be effective in the case of spiked 99g Tc activity calculation for deionized water, tap water, groundwater, seawater, and urine samples. Counting efficiency was found to be 91.66% for Ultima Gold LLT (ULG-LLT) and Ultima Gold (ULG). Relative error in spiked 99g Tc samples was ±3.98% in ULG and ULG-LLT cocktails. Minimum detectable activity was determined to be 25.3 mBq and 22.7 mBq for ULG-LLT and ULG cocktails, respectively. A pre-concentration factor of 1000 was achieved at 100°C for 100% chemical recovery.

Cocktail↗

X-ray Scintillating Lanthanide-Based Coordination Polymers

Reported are the syntheses and characterization of 25 lanthanide-containing coordination polymers exhibiting four structure types: type I′: [Ln(TFTP) 1.5 (bpy)] (Ln = La 3+ –Nd 3+ ), type I: [Ln(TFTP) 1.5 (bpy)(H 2 O)] (Ln = Sm 3+ –Lu 3+ ), type II′: [Pr(TFTP) 1.5 (phen)], and type II: [Ln(TFTP) 1.5 (phen)(H 2 O)] (Ln = Nd 3+ –Yb 3+ , excluding Pm). These compounds feature lanthanide metal cations bound to tetrafluoroterephthalate linkers (TFTP) and either, 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) capping ligands. Initial calculations using crystallographic data revealed large void spaces, ranging from 86 Å 3 in type I to 333 Å 3 in type II. Yet, adsorption isotherm data indicate very little gas uptake of both materials with a BET surface area of 9 m 2 /g for I-Tb (8) and 19 m 2 /g for II-Tb (20). X-ray irradiation of I-Eu (6), II-Eu (18), I-Tb (8), and II-Tb (20) produced visible red and green emission, respectively. Furthermore, radioluminescence studies of both type I and II with Sm 3+ , Eu 3+ , and Tb 3+ metal centers indicate that both structure types featuring Tb 3+ are brighter than those with Eu 3+ or Sm 3+ . Notably, structure type I with Tb 3+ is the brightest scintillator with a relative luminosity of 1.7× that of bismuth germanate (BGO).

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Disphenoidal Zero-Dimensional Lead, Tin, and Germanium Halides: Highly Emissive Singlet and Triplet Self-Trapped Excitons and X-ray Scintillation

Low-dimensional metal halides have been researched as optoelectronic materials for the past two decades. Zero-dimensional halides of ns 2 elements (Sn, Pb, Sb) have recently gained attention as highly efficient broadband light emitters. These compounds comprise discrete metal halide centers, isolated by bulky organic cations. Herein, we report isostructural halide complexes of Ge(II), Sn(II), and Pb(II) with a 1-butyl-1-methyl-piperidinium cation (Bmpip), featuring unusual disphenoidal coordination with a highly stereoactive lone pair. Spectrally broad, bright emission from highly localized excitons, with quantum efficiencies of up to 75%, is observed in blue to red spectral regions for bromides (for Pb, Sn, and Ge, respectively) and extends into the near-infrared for Bmpip 2 SnI 4 (peak at 730 nm). In the case of Sn(II) and Ge(II), both singlet and triplet excitonic emission bands have been observed. Furthermore, Bmpip 2 SnBr 4 and Bmpip 2 PbBr 4 exhibit X-ray-excited luminescence (radioluminescence) with brightness being commensurate with that of a commercial inorganic X-ray scintillator (NaI:Tl).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Modeling ionization quenching in organic scintillators

Ionization quenching models were assessed by evaluating light yield data from multiple organic scintillators and recoil ions over a fission spectrum neutron energy range, important for basic science and applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A scintillator-based online detector for the angularly resolved measurement of laser-accelerated proton spectra

In recent years, a new generation of high repetition rate ({approx}10 Hz), high power ({approx}100 TW) laser systems has stimulated intense research on laser-driven sources for fast protons. Considering experimental instrumentation, this development requires online diagnostics for protons to be added to the established offline detection tools such as solid state track detectors or radiochromic films. In this article, we present the design and characterization of a scintillator-based online detector that gives access to the angularly resolved proton distribution along one spatial dimension and resolves 10 different proton energy ranges. Conceived as an online detector for key parameters in laser-proton acceleration, such as the maximum proton energy and the angular distribution, the detector features a spatial resolution of {approx}1.3 mm and a spectral resolution better than 1.5 MeV for a maximum proton energy above 12 MeV in the current design. Regarding its areas of application, we consider the detector a useful complement to radiochromic films and Thomson parabola spectrometers, capable to give immediate feedback on the experimental performance. The detector was characterized at an electrostatic Van de Graaff tandetron accelerator and tested in a laser-proton acceleration experiment, proving its suitability as a diagnostic device for laser-accelerated protons.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Time-dependent MHD simulations of the solar wind outflow using interplanetary scintillation observations

Numerical modeling of the heliosphere is a critical component of space weather forecasting. The accuracy of heliospheric models can be improved by using realistic boundary conditions and confirming the results with in situ spacecraft measurements. To accurately reproduce the solar wind (SW) plasma flow near Earth, we need realistic, time-dependent boundary conditions at a fixed distance from the Sun. We may prepare such boundary conditions using SW speed and density determined from interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations, magnetic field derived from photospheric magnetograms, and temperature estimated from its correlation with SW speed. In conclusion, we present here the time-dependent MHD simulation results obtained by using the 2011 IPS data from the Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory as time-varying inner boundary conditions and compare the simulated data at Earth with OMNI data (spacecraft-interspersed, near-Earth solar wind data).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Recent results and perspectives of ββ decay experiments with crystal scintillators at Gran Sasso

Crystal scintillators offer important tools to investigate ββ decay modes in various isotopes with a well known technology and the possibility of enrichment of the material in specific isotopes. Large efforts to develop and use highly radiopure dedicated detectors are carried out at Gran Sasso by the DAMA-Kiev collaboration. These efforts have allowed the investigation of many types of decay modes in several isotopes and the improvement of the existing limits or the set of new ones. A short summary on main aspects is given in this paper.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Origin of resolution enhancement by co-doping of scintillators: Insight from electronic structure calculations

It was recently shown that the energy resolution of Ce-doped LaBr{sub 3} scintillator radiation detectors can be crucially improved by co-doping with Sr, Ca, or Ba. Here, we outline a mechanism for this enhancement on the basis of electronic structure calculations. We show that (i) Br vacancies are the primary electron traps during the initial stage of thermalization of hot carriers, prior to hole capture by Ce dopants; (ii) isolated Br vacancies are associated with deep levels; (iii) Sr doping increases the Br vacancy concentration by several orders of magnitude; (iv) Sr{sub La} binds to V{sub Br} resulting in a stable neutral complex; and (v) association with Sr causes the deep vacancy level to move toward the conduction band edge. The latter is essential for reducing the effective carrier density available for Auger quenching during thermalization of hot carriers. Subsequent de-trapping of electrons from Sr{sub La}–V{sub Br} complexes can activate Ce dopants that have previously captured a hole leading to luminescence. This mechanism implies an overall reduction of Auger quenching of free carriers, which is expected to improve the linearity of the photon light yield with respect to the energy of incident electron or photon.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Excitonic effects in oxyhalide scintillating host compounds

Ab-initio calculations based on density functional theory have been performed to study the electronic, optical, mechanical, and vibrational properties of scintillator host compounds YOX (X = F, Cl, Br, and I). Semiempirical dispersion correction schemes are used to find the effect of van der Waals forces on these layered compounds and we found this effect to be negligible except for YOBr. Calculations of phonons and elastic constants showed that all the compounds studied here are both dynamically and mechanically stable. YOF and YOI are found to be indirect band gap insulators while YOCl and YOBr are direct band gap insulators. The band gap is found to decrease as we move from fluorine to iodine, while the calculated refractive index shows the opposite trend. As the band gap decreases on going down the periodic table from YOF to YOI, the luminescence increases. The excitonic binding energy calculated, within the effective mass approximation, is found to be more for YOF than the remaining compounds, suggesting that the excitonic effect to be more in YOF than the other compounds. The optical properties are calculated within the Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) and compared with results obtained within the random phase approximation. The TDDFT calculations, using the newly developed bootstrap exchange-correlation kernel, showed significant excitonic effects in all the compounds studied here.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Lattice dynamics and electronic structure of mixed halofluoride scintillators under high pressure

We report the structural, lattice dynamics and electronic structure of mixed halo-fluoride scintillators MClF (M = Ca, Sr) based on density functional theory within generalized gradient approximation. The pressure dependent structural parameters and zone centered phonon frequencies are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. Both the structures are dynamically stable up to 50 GPa. MClF compounds are found to have a direct band gap along Γ−Γ direction at ambient as well as under pressure. It is found that these materials can serve as good storage phosphors in the low pressure region from the calculated electronic structure and optical spectra.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Search for double beta processes in {sup 106}Cd with enriched {sup 106}CdWO{sub 4} crystal scintillator in coincidence with four crystals HPGe detector

A radiopure cadmium tungstate crystal scintillator, enriched in {sup 106}Cd ({sup 106}CdWO{sub 4}), was used to search for double beta decay processes in {sup 106}Cd in coincidence with an ultra-low background set-up containing four high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors in a single cryostat. The experiment has been completed after 13085 h of data taking. New improved limits on most of the double beta processes in {sup 106}Cd have been set on the level of 10{sup 20}−10{sup 21} yr. Tn particular, the half-life limit on the two neutrino electron capture with positron emission, T{sub 1/2} ≥ 1.8 × 10{sup 21} yr, reached the region of theoretical predictions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Investigation of double beta decay of {sup 116}Cd with the help of enriched {sup 116}CdWO{sub 4} crystal scintillators

An experiment to search for 2β processes in {sup 116}Cd with the help of enriched (to 82%) cadmium tungstate crystal scintillators is in progress at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of the INFN (LNGS, Italy). After 11074 h of data taking in the last configuration, the preliminary estimate for the half-life of 116Cd relatively to 2ν2β decay is T{sub 1/2} = [2.52 ± 0.02(stat.) ± 0.14(syst.)] × 10{sup 19} yr. By using the data of previous stages of the experiment with a similar level of background (≈ 0.1 counts/(keV kg yr) in the energy interval 2.7 – 2.9 MeV; the total time of measurements is 19770 h) we have obtained a new limit on the 0ν2β decay of {sup 116}Cd to the ground state of {sup 116}Sn: T{sub 1/2} ≥ 1.9 × 10{sup 23} yr at 90% C.L. New limits on different 2β processes in {sup 116}Cd (decays with majorons, transitions to the excited levels) are obtained on the level of T{sub 1/2} ≥ 10{sup 20} – 10{sup 22} yr.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗