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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Low energy neutrino detection with a compact water-based liquid scintillator detector

In this study, the conceptual design and physics simulations of a near-field Water-based Liquid Scintillator (WbLS) detector placed 100 m from the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), currently under construction and aiming at being Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, is presented. The ANPP is an excellent opportunity for neutrino studies and the development of an R &D program for neutrino detectors in Turkey. The Reactor Neutrino Experiments of Turkey (RNET) program includes a compact detector with a 2.5-ton volume of WbLS and a ~ 30% photo-coverage, and the program is planned to be expanded with a medium-size 30-ton detector that will be an international testbed for WbLS and new detector technologies through low energy neutrino studies. In the following, the focus will be on the smaller ~2.5 ton detector, instrumented with 8-in. high quantum efficiency PMTs and two layers of cosmic veto paddles, covering all sides of the detector, to track and veto cosmic particles. Inverse Beta Decay (IBD) events from electron anti-neutrinos generated in the reactor core are simulated using the RAT-PAC simulation package and several liquids with different percentages of Liquid Scintillator (LS) and Gadolinium (Gd) are investigated.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

Selective Filtration of Gadolinium Trichloride for Use in Neutron Detection in Large Water Cherenkov Detectors

Water Cherenkov detectors have been used for many years as inexpensive, effective detectors for neutrino interactions and nucleon decay searches. While many important measurements have been made with these detectors a major drawback has been their inability to detect the absorption of thermal neutrons. We believe an inexpensive, effective technique could be developed to overcome this situation via the addition to water of a solute with a large neutron cross section and energetic gamma daughters which would make neutrons detectable. Gadolinium seems an excellent candidate especially since in recent years it has become very inexpensive, now less than $\$$8 per kilogram in the form of commercially-available gadolinium trichloride, GdCl 3 . This non-toxic, non-reactive substance is highly soluble in water. Neutron capture on gadolinium yields a gamma cascade which would be easily seen in detectors like Super-Kamiokande. We have been investigating the use of GdCl 3 as a possible upgrade for the Super-Kamiokande detector with a view toward improving its performance as a detector for atmospheric neutrinos, supernova neutrinos, wrong-sign solar neutrinos, reactor neutrinos, proton decay, and also as a target for the coming T2K long-baseline neutrino experiment. This focused study of selective water filtration and GdCl 3 extraction techniques, conducted at UC Irvine, followed up on highly promising benchtop-scale and kiloton-scale work previously carried out with the assistance of 2003 and 2005 Advanced Detector Research Program grants.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Multi-purpose γ-Ray Interface to Auxiliary Detectors (MyRIAD) User Manual

The MyRIAD (Multipurpose γ-Ray Interface to Auxiliary Detectors) module provides a general-purpose interface to allow other detector systems that work in concert with the digital data acquisition (DAQ) sytems of Digital Gammasphere (DGS) and GRETINA to receive the timestamp and triggering information from those systems to synchronize the data acquisition system of an auxiliary detector used in concert with these large detector arrays. Additionally the MyRIAD may be used to transmit time-stamped trigger messages from the auxiliary detector to the main system so that the main system may filter its event readout based upon the presence or absence of a local trigger in the auxiliary detector. Finally, the MyRIAD provides signal interface capabilities designed to allow legacy CAMAC-based detector DAQ systems to be directly controlled and interfaced by the DAQ system of DGS or GRETINA.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Dedicated Searches for Low and High Mass Wimps with the SuperCDMS Soudan iZIP Detectors

Recent cosmological evidence suggests most of the mass of the universe takes the form of a type of particle that we have not been able to directly detect. Nearly 80 years that have elapsed since the rst hints of this dark matter started to appear from astronomers without any direct detection. The high precision era of cosmology and unifying models of particle physics developed in the 20 th century have presented us with an exciting mystery at the intersection of these two elds that needs to be solved. SuperCDMS Soudan operates specialized germanium detectors (iZIPs) that are cooled to milliKelvin temperatures deep underground in the Soudan Underground Laboratory with the hope of detecting a rare collision between dark matter and a nucleus. A search for low-mass dark matter comes with multiple unique challenges since the background discrimination abilities of these detectors becomes less powerful at the low energies needed to probe low-mass dark matter since the signal to noise ratio deteriorates. Using a sophisticated background model via a pulse rescaling technique, SuperCDMS Soudan was able to produce a world leading exclusion limit on low-mass dark matter. Effort is to extend the analysis to higher masses require long running times during which many aspects of the detectors or the environment can change. Additional challenges are offered by the powerful background discrimination ability of the iZIP. The background distributions are well separated from the signal region, meaning most of the leakage arises from low-probability tails of the background distributions. In the absence of an enormous dataset, extrapolations from the bulk of the distribution are required. While attempting to obtain a model of gamma induced electron-recoils leaking into the signal region of the detector from high radius a curious asymmetry between the sides of the detectors was discovered potentially indicating an electronics or detector design problem. This thesis describes the physics behind SuperCDMS Soudan, the numerous tasks involved in a low-mass search and the rst iZIP array science results with these new detectors, as well as the developments towards a high-mass search result.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

CDMS Detector Fabrication Improvements and Low Energy Nuclear Recoil Measurements in Germanium

As the CDMS (Cryogenic Dark Matter Search) experiment is scaled up to tackle new dark matter parameter spaces (lower masses and cross-sections), detector production efficiency and repeatability becomes ever more important. A dedicated facility has been commissioned for SuperCDMS detector fabrication at Texas A&M University (TAMU). The fabrication process has been carefully tuned using this facility and its equipment. Production of successfully tested detectors has been demonstrated. Significant improvements in detector performance have been made using new fabrication methods, equipment, and tuning of process parameters. This work has demonstrated the capability for production of next generation CDMS SNOLAB detectors. Additionally, as the dark matter parameter space is probed further, careful calibrations of detector response to nuclear recoil interactions must be performed in order to extract useful information (in relation to dark matter particle characterzations) from experimental results. A neutron beam of tunable energy is used in conjunction with a commercial radiation detector to characterize ionization energy losses in germanium during nuclear recoil events. Data indicates agreement with values predicted by the Lindhard equation, providing a best-t k-value of 0.146.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Used Fuel Storage Monitoring Using Helium-4 Scintillation Fast Neutron Detectors and Neutron Spectral Analysis

This project aimed to address the technology gap in the reliable methods to verify contents of sealed dry storage casks for spent nuclear fuel. Helium-4 gas scintillation neutron detectors was proposed to be developed into a neutron spectroscopy and imaging system for nuclear security and safeguards applications. 4 He gas is significantly more available than 3 He gas and it has unique advantages such as low gamma interaction probability and direct detection of fast neutrons. Due to the sheer amount of fissile materials in a single dry cask, there is a significant neutron fluence emitted whose energies range from thermal to uncollided high-energy neutrons suitable for the detection capability of the 4 He detectors. Our project demonstrated the first ever neutron spectroscopic capabilities using 4 He detectors, explored novel detector design and performed detector characterization. It further qualified the detectors for use in various applications including high-flux environments with significant gamma-fluence. Computer simulations were used to test various large cask measurement system designs and tests, beyond the compact prototype system and laboratory measurements exploring the feasibility of the neutron spectroscopic approach. Although some cask-characterization methods proved unfeasible, alternative characterization methods using the He-4 detectors were explored and generated promising results.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Characterization of Partial Charge Collection Induced by Neutron Damage in High-Purity Germanium Detectors

This paper investigates the correlation of damage induced by neutron interactions and degradation in the spectra of HPGe detectors. As neutrons kinetically interact with germanium crystals, they create interstitial and vacancy defects within the lattice. These defects then interfere with the charge migration of electron-hole pairs and reduce resolution in the observed energy spectrum. The partial charge collection produces observable spectral changes by increasing the peak width and reducing resolution (full width half maximum). A detailed characterization using various check sources was performed before and after iterations of neutron exposure in order to observe the effects of the neutron damage. An additional set of measurements was performed along with characterizations to show the detector’s response at discrete locations on the HPGe crystal. This was done to observe how the spectrum changes when the gamma rays are isolated to regions of various thicknesses of germanium. In order to impart damage, the detector was placed inside a californium shuffler with the face of the detector against the guide tube for the 252 Cf source. For irradiation of the HPGe, the source was then positioned in front of the face of the detector using the stepper motor of the shuffler. The neutron exposure time intervals were recorded and increased based on the initial damage observed. An MCNP simulation was performed to estimate the amount of interactions that occurred in the germanium crystal to ensure enough damage had occurred. Studying the effects that neutron damage imparts on a bullet-type HPGe detector can help provide necessary data to estimate total neutron exposure limits, reduce the likelihood of decisions made on suspect data, and aid in diagnostics of a damaged detector.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Detector Characterization for Accurate Monte Carlo Simulation and Neutron Energy-spectrum Unfolding

This report details the characterization of a deuterated scintillation detector for use in neutron spectroscopy via the spectrum unfolding technique. The active volume of the detector consists of a 3-in. diameter by 3 in. depth right circular cylinder that contains 337 cm3 of liquid scintillator EJ-315, deuterated benzene with a D:H ratio of 141:1. A deuterated scintillator is desirable for unfolding fast neutron energy spectra because the backscattering of neutrons from deuterium produces peaks in the pulse height response corresponding to the incident neutron energy. Spectrum unfolding requires the detector’s response to be accurately known for any input neutron energy. The characterization in this report supports using a simulated response matrix calibrated by the measured light output and convolved with the measured resolution to produce a response matrix without bringing the detector to a neutron beam facility for characterization. In particular, characterization measurements were performed that included calibration of the detector’s light output to recoil electrons from gamma sources, calibration of the detector’s resolution to recoil electrons, and calibration of the detector’s light output to recoil protons from a time-tagged neutron source and a monoenergetic 14.1 MeV neutron source.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

LBNF/DUNE Cryostats and Cryogenics Infrastructure for the DUNE Far Detector (Design Report)

DUNE is an international experiment dedicated to addressing some of the questions at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics, including the mystifying preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe. The dual-site experiment will employ an intense neutrino beam focused on both a near detector and a cryogenic far detector. The DUNE far detector implements liquid argon time-projection chamber (LArTPC) technology, and combines many tens-of-kilotons of fiducial mass with sub-centimeter spatial resolution to collect neutrino events and image them with high precision. Given its size, this detector will be implemented as a set of up to four modules, each of which will require its own cryostat that will contain approximately 17.5 metric kilotons of ultra-pure liquid argon (LAr). The cryogenics infrastructure to support the detector modules includes systems to receive, transfer, store, purify, and maintain the LAr. This design report describes the cryostats and the cryogenics infrastructure required for the first two detector modules; this infrastructure is designed to support expansion to up to four far detector modules.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

DRiFT Current Mode, Trigger Settings and Flexible Detector Specifications Applied to Scintillator Arrays

MCNP radiation transport output is post-processed by DRiFT, a Detector Response Function Toolkit to simulate detailed nuclear instrumentation response. DRiFT can be used to assess the performance and potential limitations of scintillator, gas, and semiconductor detectors under a variety of simulated conditions not easily achievable in a laboratory setting. This work describes new updates in DRiFT for scintillator simulations which focus on the capability to simulate scintillators in current mode, an expansion of trigger options, and the ability to customize individual detector properties in a simulation. These improvements are designed to facilitate the ability to model large arrays of scintillator detectors with higher fidelity than was previously possible and are demonstrated in three examples. The first shows the difference between operating DRiFT in current and pulse mode. In the second example, which is intended to demonstrate deviations in individual detector performance, each detector has properties (PMT gain, optical transport, scintillation yield, etc.) that vary between detectors and are specified in DRiFT. A final example examines how DRiFT could be used to optimize digitizer settings in high rate measurements with split signals using the new common trigger option.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Constructing Data-Driven Predictions at the Far Detector for NOvA's Neutrino Oscillation Analysis.

NOvA, is a two-detector, long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment located at Fermilab, Batavia, IL, USA. It is designed primarily to constrain neutrino oscillation parameters using $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ disappearance and $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ appearance data. The Neutrinos at Main Injector (NuMI) beamline at Fermilab provides a high purity 900 KW intense beam of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos to NOvA. The NOvA Near Detector, located 100m underground and 1km away from the beam source, observes the un-oscillated $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and beam $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ event spectrum. The Far Detector, located in Ash River, MN, USA, is 809 km from the ND and records the oscillated $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ and the un-oscillated $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ event spectrum. NOvA uses a data-driven technique called extrapolation to predict the expected number of $\nu_\mu \ (\bar{\nu}_\mu)$ and $\nu_e \ (\bar{\nu}_e)$ events at the Far Detector using the Near Detector data. The use of data from a functionally equivalent Near Detector provides a powerful constraint on the systematic uncertainties in NOvA neutrino oscillation analyses. As NOvA continues to add data statistics, a robust constraint on systematics becomes more crucial for neutrino oscillation analysis. The details of the NOvA neutrino oscillation analysis framework and how it constrains dominant systematic uncertainties using the Near Detector data will be discussed in this poster.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Investigating Gadolinium-Lined Sodium-Iodide Neutron Detectors for Mobile Applications

For enhancing the effectiveness of nonproliferation efforts in neutron detection, most portable instruments rely on 6 Li scintillators, 10 B-based detectors, or gas-filled 3 He proportional counters. Additionally, gamma-ray detectors based on scintillators and semiconductors are often employed for search applications to find radioactive material in the field. These systems typically include dedicated detectors along with separate high voltage supplies and processing electronics for the gamma-ray and neutron detectors. Ideally, a portable radiation detection system should be lightweight, compact, and cost-effective. In the field, scintillators can serve a dual purpose: (1) detecting gamma-rays and (2) detecting neutrons. Gamma-ray detection with scintillators is based on the interaction of gamma-rays within the scintillating material, whereas neutron detection depends indirectly on neutron capture events. These capture events generate conversion electrons and gamma-rays, which can interact with the scintillator. For enhancing neutron capture, the scintillator can be surrounded by neutron absorber materials with a high neutron cross section. The resulting secondary electrons and gamma-rays from neutron interactions, depending on the absorber material used, can then be analyzed to detect the presence of neutron sources. Similarly, semiconductor-based detectors can be employed along with neutron absorbers as liners for neutron detection. 158 Gd has a significantly larger neutron cross section than 3 He, commonly used in gas-filled proportional counters, as shown in Figure 1. For thermal (0.025 eV) neutrons, the absorption cross section of 158 Gd is 10,000 times greater than that of 3 He (refer to Figure 1). This feature makes naturally occurring gadolinium, which consists of 24.8% 158 Gd, a promising neutron absorber material for use in combination with gamma-ray detectors–yielding a hybrid detector–for neutron detection.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2025

The SAND detector for the DUNE experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation project aiming to study several neutrino properties. It will feature two experimental setups: a near detector that will be installed at Fermilab, in proximity of the neutrino-production point, and a far detector at a distance of 1300 km and 1500 m underground, at the SURF laboratory. The DUNE design and configuration will allow the study of neutrino oscillation, astrophysical neutrinos, and beyond standard model physics. The near detector complex foresees three detectors to be installed. Among these, the System for on-Axis Neutrino Detection (SAND) will serve as on-axis beam monitor, reduce the systematic uncertainties for the oscillation analysis, and search for physics beyond the standard model. SAND will be composed of three sub-detectors, surrounded by a 0.6 T superconducting magnet. The outermost detector will be a lead/scintillating-fiber electromagnetic calorimeter while the inner volume will include a 1-ton liquid argon active target placed upstream followed by a target tracker system. The SAND detector and its goals will be shown in this poster.

Alemanno, Francesca [Salento U.; INFN, Lecce]↗
DOE OSTI2023

Field Scoping Study of Gamma-Ray Measurement of UF 6 Cristillini Samples with CZT and HPGe Detectors

A field scoping study was conducted to evaluate the ability of Cd-Zn-Te (CZT) detectors and High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors to quantify the U-235 enrichment in UF 6 samples collected on alumina in P-10 tubes, similar to the Cristillini method of sample collection for analysis by mass spectrometry. With in-field gamma-ray spectroscopy methods, international safeguards and verification missions could benefit from quick in-field confirmation of declared enrichment values prior to or without the need for additional shipping, sample preparation and analysis. Samples of depleted (DU), low-enriched (LEU) and high-assay low-enriched (HALEU) uranium were collected on Cristillini-type alumina in P-10 tubes and measured with two H3D, Inc. M400 CZT detectors as well as a Canberra Falcon HPGe detector. The M400 detectors were able to confirm enrichment in the DU and LEU samples but not the HALEU sample in measurements 8-40 hrs after collection. The Falcon system was able to confirm enrichment in all three samples. Improvements in detector geometry, increase in number of detectors as well as increase sample mass loading may allow measurement of U-235 enrichment in these types of samples within 4-8hrs of collection with 5-10% uncertainty.

98 - NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL↗
DOE OSTI2026

Track Matching in the DUNE Near Detectors

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international particle physics experiment looking answer some of the largest unanswered questions in neutrino physics. DUNE uses a high power neutrino beam produced at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), and consists of a near detector (ND) also located at Fermilab and a far detector (FD) 1300 km away at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota. In the first phase of the experiment, the ND complex will contain a modular liquid argon TPC (ND-LAr) and a solid scintillator-based muon spectrometer (TMS), in addition to a beam monitoring detector (SAND) and systems for moving ND-LAr and TMS away from the neutrino beam axis (PRISM). A prototype of ND-LAr, the 2x2 demonstrator, alongside a solid scintillator muon tagger provided by repurposed MINERvA planes, has been built and taken data at Fermilab. For analyses with the ND, connecting particle tracks (such as muons) that exit the liquid argon active volume into the solid scintillator muon detector can improve particle identification and energy reconstruction, and alleviate pileup due to the intense beam. To match tracks between detectors during reconstruction, we have explored using Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to connect tracks segments between the liquid argon detector region and the solid scintillator detector planes. We have trained a GNN on reconstructed simulated data from the 2×2 demonstrator and repurposed MINERvA planes. We will evaluate its performance and then train a similar network on reconstructed ND-LAr and TMS simulations.

Xing, Daniel [U. Colorado, Boulder]↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design and construction of Cosmic Muon Veto for the mini-ICAL detector at IICHEP, Madurai

A 51-kiloton magnetised Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) detector, using Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) as active detector elements, aims to study atmospheric neutrinos. A prototype - 1/600 of the weight of ICAL, called mini-ICAL was installed in the INO transit campus at Madurai. A modest proof-of-principle cosmic muon veto detector of about 1 m×1 m×0.3 m dimensions was set up a few years ago, using scintillator paddles. The measured cosmic muon veto efficiency of 99.98% and simulation studies of muon-induced background events in the ICAL detector surrounded by an efficient veto detector were promising. This led to the idea of constructing a bigger cosmic muon veto around the mini-ICAL detector. Details of the design, fabrication, quality control, and construction of the detector including the electronics, trigger, and DAQ systems planned will be briefly presented.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

μRWELL detector developments at Jefferson Lab for high luminosity experiments

One of the future plans at Jefferson Lab is running electron scattering experiments with large acceptance detectors at luminosities > 10^37 cm^−2 s^−1. These experiments allow the measurements of the Double Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DDVCS) reaction, an important physics process in the formalism of Generalized Parton Distributions, which has never been measured because of its small cross-section. The luminosity upgrade of CLAS12 or the SOLID detector makes Jefferson Lab a unique place to measure DDVCS. One of the important components of these high luminosity detectors is a tracking system that can withstand high rates of ≈ 1MHz/cm2. The recently developed Micro-Resistive Well (𝜇RWELL) detector technology is a promising option for such a tracking detector by combining good position resolutions, low material budget with simple mechanical construction, and low production costs. In this proceeding, we will discuss recent developments and studies with 𝜇RWELL detectors at Jefferson Lab for future upgrades of the CLAS12 detector to study the DDVCS reaction.

Hauenstein, Florian↗
DOE OSTI2023

High Performance Pd/4H-SiC Epitaxial Schottky Barrier Radiation Detectors for Harsh Environment Applications

Although many refractory metals have been investigated as the choice of contact metal in 4H-SiC devices, palladium (Pd) as a Schottky barrier contact for 4H-SiC radiation detectors for harsh environment applications has not been investigated adequately. Pd is a refractory metal with high material weight-to-thickness ratio and a work function as high as nickel, one of the conventional metal contacts for high performing 4H-SiC Schottky barrier detectors (SBDs). In this article, Pd/4H-SiC epitaxial SBDs have been demonstrated for the first time as a superior self-biased (0 V applied bias) radiation detector when compared to benchmark Ni/4H-SiC SBDs. The Pd/4H-SiC SBD radiation detectors showed a very high energy resolution of 1.9% and 0.49% under self- and optimized bias, respectively, for 5486 keV alpha particles. The SBDs demonstrated a built-in voltage (V bi ) of 2.03 V and a hole diffusion length (L d ) of 30.8 µm. Such high V bi and L d led to an excellent charge collection efficiency of 76% in the self-biased mode. Capacitance mode deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) results revealed that the “lifetime-killer” Z 1/2 trap centers were present in the 4H-SiC epilayer. Another deep level trap was located at 1.09 eV below the conduction band minimum and resembles the EH5 trap with a concentration of 1.98 × 10 11 cm –3 and capture cross-section 1.7 × 10 –17 cm –2 ; however, the detector performance was found to be limited by charge trapping in the Z 1/2 center. The results presented in this article revealed the unexplored potential of a wide bandgap semiconductor, SiC, as high-efficiency self-biased radiation detectors. Such high performance self-biased radiation detectors are poised to address the longstanding problem of designing self-powered sensor devices for harsh environment applications e.g., advanced nuclear reactors and deep space missions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗