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At least 1,711 records · Page 95

Detection of 14 MeV neutrons in high temperature environment up to 500 deg. C using 4H-SiC based diode detector

In reactor technology and industrial applications detection of fast and thermal neutrons plays a crucial role in getting relevant information about the reactor environment and neutron yield. The inevitable elevated temperatures make neutron yield measurements problematic. Out of the currently available semiconductors 4H-SiC seems to be the most suitable neutron detector material under extreme conditions due to its high heat and radiation resistance, large band-gap and lower cost of production than in case of competing diamond detectors. In the framework of the European I-Smart project, optimal {sup 4}H-SiC diode geometries were developed for high temperature neutron detection and have been tested with 14 MeV fast neutrons supplied by a deuterium-tritium neutron generator with an average neutron flux of 10{sup 10}-10{sup 11} n/(s*cm{sup 2}) at Neutron Laboratory of the Technical University of Dresden in Germany from room temperatures up to several hundred degrees Celsius. Based on the results of the diode measurements, detector geometries appear to play a crucial role for high temperature measurements up to 500 deg. C. Experimental set-ups using SiC detectors were constructed to simulate operation in the harsh environmental conditions found in the tritium breeding blanket of the ITER fusion reactor, which is planned to be the location of neutron flux characterization measurements in the near future. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Energy calibration of germanium detectors for the Majorana Demonstrator

The Majorana Demonstrator was a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νββ) in the 76 Ge isotope. It was staged at the 4850-foot level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD. The experiment consisted of 58 germanium detectors housed in a low background shield and was calibrated once per week by deploying a 228 Th line source for 1 to 2 hours. The energy scale calibration determination for the detector array was automated using custom analysis tools. We describe the offline procedure for calibration of the Demonstrator germanium detectors, including the simultaneous fitting of multiple spectral peaks, estimation of energy scale uncertainties, and the automation of the calibration procedure.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Extreme γ –Ray Radiation Tolerance of Spectrometer–Grade CsPbBr 3 Perovskite Detectors

The perovskite compound CsPbBr 3 has recently been discovered as a promising room-temperature semiconductor radiation detector, offering an inexpensive and easy-to-manufacture alternative to the current benchmark material Cd 1–x Zn x Te (CZT). The performance of CsPbBr 3 sensors is evaluated under harsh conditions, such as high radiation doses often found in industrial settings and extreme radiation in space. Results show minimal degradation in detector performance after exposure to 1 Mrad of Co-60 gamma radiation, with no significant change to energy resolution or hole mobility and lifetime. Additionally, many of the devices are still functional after being exposed to a 10 Mrad dose over 3 days, and those that do not survive can still be refabricated into working detectors. Notably, these results suggest that the failure mode in these devices is likely related to the interface between the electrode and material and their reaction, or the electrode itself and not the material itself. Overall, the study suggests that CsPbBr 3 has high potential as a reliable and efficient radiation detector in various applications, including those involving extreme fluxes and energies of gamma-ray radiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Perovskite CsPbBr 3 Single-Crystal Detector Operating at 10 10 Photons s -1 mm -2 for Ultra-High Flux X-ray Detection

Semiconductors for detecting hard radiation are confronted with considerable problems when operating at high photon fluxes. A perovskite CsPbBr 3 single-crystal detector capable of operating at X-ray fluxes of up to 10 10 photons s -1 mm -2 with beam area ≤ 0.25 mm 2 at 58.61 keV for current-mode X-ray detection is reported. The spectrometer-grade melt-grown CsPbBr 3 detectors show a gamma-ray energy resolution of ~7.5% at 122 keV for 57 Co and dark current as low as 4.3 nA (0.5 nA mm -2 ) at a reverse bias voltage of 200 V (118 V mm -1 ). The detector is tested at X-ray energies of 8.2, 10, and 58.61 keV at a synchrotron light source under a reverse bias voltage of up to 1000 V (588 V mm -1 ). Under a sufficiently high bias voltage and within several hundreds of seconds X-ray exposure, good photocurrent linearity (goodness of fit R 2 > 0.99) and reproducibility are obtained up to a flux of ≈10 10 photons s -1 mm -2 at beam area 0.25 mm 2 with Lower Limit of Detection of ≈10 5 photons s -1 mm -2 and Charge Collection Efficiency of ≈100% for 58.61 keV X-rays. Therefore, wide application of CsPbBr 3 detectors in high-flux X-ray detection is anticipated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Identifying and quantifying short-lived fission products from thermal fission of HEU using portable HPGe detectors

Due to the emerging potential for trafficking of special nuclear material, research programs are investigating current capabilities of commercially available portable gamma ray detection systems. Presented in this paper are the results of three different portable high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors used to identify short-lived fission products generated from thermal neutron interrogation of small samples of highly enriched uranium. Samples were irradiated at the Washington State University (WSU) Nuclear Radiation Center’s 1MW TRIGA reactor. The three portable, HPGe detectors used were the ORTEC MicroDetective, the ORTEC Detective, and the Canberra Falcon. Canberra’s GENIE-2000 software was used to analyze the spectral data collected from each detector. Ultimately, these three portable detectors were able to identify a large range of fission products showing potential for material discrimination.

detectors↗

Investigating the practicality of a minimally defined co-axial HPGe detector model using MCNP

An MCNP model of a co-axial HPGe detector, defined by the specification sheet and without parameter optimization, was used to assess practicality for efficiency characterization and complex spectra simulation. Simulated efficiencies, with and without Gaussian energy broadening, were compared against an experimental calibration for a standard counting geometry. Results show that this minimal detector model predicted efficiencies within 6% of experimental values at energies above 100 keV, while including energy broadening offered little improvement. Furthermore, this work shows that extensive detector characterization and optimization of parameters is not absolutely necessary, thereby reducing the experimental burden associated with detector modeling for many applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Characterization of PIPS detectors for measurement of radioxenon

The International Monitoring System arm of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization utilizes sampling of atmospheric radioxenon to scan the world for nuclear testing events. Current designs utilized in the field involve plastic scintillator cells run in coincidence with Sodium Iodide (NaI) or High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors. The use of plastic scintillators as electron detectors exhibit some issues in comparison to other materials. Silicon detectors are analyzed as an alternative to plastic scintillators for beta detection based on their higher energy resolution and lowered memory effect. A radioxenon detection setup was created with the intent of measuring radioxenon samples using coincidence counting between silicon and NaI detectors as well as silicon and HPGe. Finally, the absolute efficiency of both setups is calculated and compared.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Radiation Damage and Mitigation by Minority Carrier Injection in InAsSb/AlAsSb Heterojunction Barrier Mid-Wave Infrared Detector

Here, the effects of gamma and proton irradiation, and of forward bias minority carrier injection, on photo-response were investigated for InAsSb/AlAsSb pBn mid-wave infrared (MWIR) detectors with an engineered majority-carrier barrier. Room-temperature gamma irradiation had an insignificant effect on 77 K photo-response. Gamma irradiation at 77 K detector temperature, however, decreased in situ photo-response by 19% after a cumulative dose of ~ 500 krad(Si). Subsequent forward bias minority carrier injection had no effect on photo-response. The 77 K detectors irradiated with 30 MeV protons up to 2 Mrad(Si) had photo-response degraded by up to 70%, but here forward bias minority carrier (hole) injection caused up to 12% recovery that persisted more than 30 min. These results suggest a mitigation strategy for maintaining the photo-response of similar detectors in radiation environments that cause displacement damage defects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Vertical gradient freeze growth of detector grade CdZnTeSe single crystals

Here, we report the growth of detector grade Cd 0.9 Zn 0.1 Te 0.97 Se 0.03 (CZTS) single crystals, a recently discovered quaternary semiconductor for room temperature radiation detection, by a vertical gradient freeze (VGF) method. VGF is a comparatively low-temperature growth method and avoids relative motion between the heater and the ampoule containing the precursor materials which minimizes any thermal drift or temperature fluctuations. As a result, CZTS single crystals with superior charge transport properties has been obtained. Growth of detector-grade CZTS single crystals using VGF method has not been reported yet. X-ray spectroscopy based elemental analysis showed that the grown crystals demonstrated the desired stoichiometry required for high resolution radiation detection. Planar detectors fabricated by deposition of gold contacts (~0.07 cm 2 ) demonstrated high bulk resistivity ~10 10 Ω-cm and a very low leakage current density of 2.8 × 10 –8 A/cm 2 at a bias of 100 V when measured at room temperature. The detectors showed excellent radiation response with 100 % charge collection efficiency when exposed to 5486 keV alpha particles. The electron mobility-lifetime (μτ) product was measured to be 3 × 10 –3 cm 2 /V using a single polarity Hecht analysis which is at par with the recently reported values measured in CZTS grown using conventional Bridgman or travelling heater method. The electron mobility has been calculated to be 964 cm 2 V –1 s –1 using a time-of-flight (TOF) method, a substantial improvement over that obtained from conventionally grown CZTS single crystals.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The iQID Camera: An Ionizing-Radiation Quantum Imaging Detector

We have developed and tested a novel, ionizing-radiation Quantum Imaging Detector (iQID). This scintillation-based detector was originally developed as a high-resolution gamma-ray imager, called BazookaSPECT, for use in single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Recently, we have investigated the detectors response and imaging potential with other forms of ionizing radiation including alpha, neutron, beta, and fission fragment particles. The detector’s response to a broad range of ionizing radiation has prompted its new title. The principle operation of the iQID camera involves coupling a scintillator to an image intensifier. The scintillation light generated particle interactions is optically amplified by the intensifier and then re-imaged onto a CCD/CMOS camera sensor. The intensifier provides sufficient optical gain that practically any CCD/CMOS camera can be used to image ionizing radiation. Individual particles are identified and their spatial position (to sub-pixel accuracy) and energy are estimated on an event-by-event basis in real time using image analysis algorithms on high-performance graphics processing hardware. Distinguishing features of the iQID camera include portability, large active areas, high sensitivity, and high spatial resolution (tens of microns). Although modest, iQID has energy resolution that is sufficient to discrimate between particles. Additionally, spatial features of individual events can be used for particle discrimination. An important iQID imaging application that has recently been developed is single-particle, real-time digital autoradiography. In conclusion, we present the latest results and discuss potential applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Pulse height model for deuterated scintillation detectors

This work includes the theoretical calculation of pulse height distribution and elaborate measurement at Ohio University using deuterated organic scintillation detector, which allows us to thoroughly investigate the light output spectrum induced by fast neutrons and convincingly compensate the pulse deficiency due to application of threshold to minimize noises either from electronics or environmental background. Specifically, a complete and self-contained analytic model of pulse height distribution for EJ-315 is created. In the model, considering impacts of detector geometry on light output and neutron leakage, a non-uniform angular distribution is also taken into account. An energy range of incident neutron from 1 MeV to 10 MeV is investigated. In return, based on the Peierls-formula, the completed calculation exhibits quantitative probability of fast neutron slowing down history due to stochastic collisions with carbon or deuterium nuclei. The quantitative collision probability conjoining with light output function, which was measured and corrected in view of detector response to several gamma rays, for continuous neutron flux generated by the tandem Van De Graaff Generator gives the light output for various collisions. Furthermore, the individual collision structure of the light pulse spectrum is analyzed and compared to the corresponding pulse height distribution from experimental measurement. Lastly, the resulting light pulse height distribution generated in this model offers intriguing advantages for identifying or characterizing nuclear materials and estimating potentials of various fast recoil detectors.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

The STAR MAPS-based PiXeL detector

The PiXeL detector (PXL) for the Heavy Flavor Tracker (HFT) of the STAR experiment at RHIC is the first application of the state-of-the-art thin Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) technology in a collider environment. Here, custom built pixel sensors, their readout electronics and the detector mechanical structure are described in detail. Selected detector design aspects and production steps are presented. The detector operations during the three years of data taking (2014–2016) and the overall performance exceeding the design specifications are discussed in the conclusive sections of this work.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

A novel use of light guides and wavelength shifting plates for the detection of scintillation photons in large liquid argon detectors

Scintillation light generated as charged particles traverse large liquid argon detectors adds valuable information to studies of weakly-interacting particles. This paper uses both laboratory measurements and cosmic ray data from the Blanche dewar facility at Fermilab to characterize the efficiency of the photon detector technology developed at Indiana University for the single phase far detector of DUNE. The efficiency of this technology was found to be 0.48% at the readout end when the detector components were characterized with laboratory measurements. A second determination of the efficiency using cosmic ray tracks is in reasonable agreement with the laboratory determination. In conclusion, the agreement of these two efficiency determinations supports the result that minimum ionizing muons generate ${\mathcal N}_{phot} = 40,000$ photons/MeV as they cross the LAr volume.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Low-cost, multi-mode detector solutions

Low-cost radiation detectors capable of providing efficient gamma-ray and neutron detection are essential in passive nuclear monitoring systems such as radiation portal monitors (RPMs) and detection of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) through Active Interrogation (AI). Here, three low-cost detector solutions are discussed—(1) Large-area polystyrene-based plastic scintillators for AI (2) Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) capable plastic scintillators doped with heavy-metals for imparting gamma-ray spectroscopy (3) Composite detector technology based on inorganic scintillator submerged into the plastic scintillator, for detection of thermal and fast neutrons in addition to gamma-ray spectroscopy. Composite detectors using inorganic component such as Cs 2 LiYCl 6 (CLYC), Cs 2 LiLaBr x Cl 6-x (CLLBC), or CsI:Tl have been developed up to 4” sizes. Neutron and gamma efficiencies are compared for samples with different inorganic loading.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Characterization of a double Time-Of-Flight detector system for accurate velocity measurement in a storage ring using laser beams

The Isochronous Mass Spectrometry (IMS) is a powerful tool for mass measurements of exotic nuclei with half-lives as short as several tens of micro-seconds in storage rings. In order to improve the mass resolving power while preserving the acceptance of the storage ring, the IMS with two Time-Of-Flight (TOF) detectors has been implemented at the storage ring CSRe in Lanzhou, China. Additional velocity information beside the revolution time in the ring can be obtained for each of the stored ions by using the double TOF detector system. In this paper, we introduced a new method of using a 658 nm laser range finder and a short-pulsed ultra-violet laser to directly measure the distance and time delay difference between the two TOF detectors which were installed inside the 10 -11 mbar vacuum chambers. Here, the results showed that the distance between the two ultra-thin carbon foils of the two TOF detectors was ranging from 18032.5 mm to 18035.0 mm over a measurable area of 20x20 mm 2 .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

RD53A: A large-scale prototype chip for the phase II upgrade in the serially powered HL-LHC pixel detectors

The phase II upgrade of the HL-LHC experiments within the LHC intends to deepen the studies of the Higgs boson and to allow the discovery of further particles by adding an integrated luminosity of about 4000 fb -1 over 10 years of operation. This upgrade would overwhelm the installed pixel detector readout chips with higher hit rates and radiation levels than ever before. To match these extreme requirements the RD53 collaboration, a joint effort between ATLAS and CMS, developed RD53A, a new generation pixel detector readout chip prototype manufactured in a 65 nm CMOS technology. It is half the size of the final pixel chips and designed to meet requirements in the face of 3 GHz/cm 2 hit rate after irradiation to 500 Mrad. The detector is able to use 50×50 μm 2 or 25×100 μm 2 pixels with high readout speed of up to 4 links per chip with 1.28 Gbit/s each. Shunt–LDO regulators integrated on the bottom of the chip provide the required voltages to the two power domains, analog and digital. These regulators enable serial powering of the pixel modules, which is the only feasible, radiation hard scheme to ensure acceptable power cable losses and to stay within the material budget for the future pixel detectors. Finally, an overview of the status and challenges of serial powering and the Shunt–LDO regulator development will be given.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

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↗

A new waveform analysis technique to extract good energy and position resolution from a dual-axis duo-lateral position-sensitive detector

The dual-axis duo-lateral position-sensitive silicon detector was developed to detect charged particles with high quality position and energy resolution. When these detectors were used with conventional signal processing electronics, an empirically determined correction was used to improve energy resolution. In this work, the waveforms from the detector after preamplification are studied in detail to investigate position information contained in the waveforms. A 7.22 MeV/nucleon alpha particle beam was impinged directly on a masked dual-axis duo-lateral detector. Data obtained using a 228 Th alpha particle source was also used. Here, by studying the waveform characteristics that give rise to the position-dependent distortions, a new summed trigger analysis method has been developed to significantly improve linearity in position reconstruction without sacrificing energy resolution.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗