Monte Carlo and experimental evaluation of BC-454 for use as a multienergy neutron detector

Author

McElhaney, S.A. ; Bauer, M.L. ; Chiles, M.M. ; Emmett, M.B. ; Todd, J.H.

Author_Institution

Oak Ridge Nat. Lab., TN, USA

Volume

37

Issue

3

fYear

1990

fDate

6/1/1990 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1351

Lastpage

1358

Abstract

A boron-substituted plastic scintillator has been evaluated for use as a multienergy neutron detector in the Navy RADIAC Development Program. Monte Carlo codes were run for a 1 in. diameter×1 in. long scintillator and a 2 in. diameter×2 in. long scintillator. Additional calculations were run with each scintillator encased in 2 in. of polyethylene moderator. Response curves for neutron sensitivity as a function of energy were plotted from these calculations. Results show a close approximation between the analytically modeled response and the response obtained from a commercially available multienergy neutron detector. The scintillators also were evaluated experimentally for comparison with Monte Carlo results. Each scintillator was coupled to a photomultiplier tube and subjected to neutron irradiation. Results indicate that the experimental configuration used was rejecting proton recoil events <1 MeV. This proton recoil cutoff energy resulted in an underrepresented intermediate energy region

Keywords

Monte Carlo methods; neutron detection and measurement; scintillation counters; 1 MeV; 1 in; 2 in; BC-454; Monte Carlo; intermediate energy; multienergy neutron detector; neutron sensitivity; photomultiplier tube; plastic scintillator; polyethylene moderator; proton recoil events; response curves; Absorption; Boron; Detectors; Electrons; Laboratories; Linear accelerators; Monte Carlo methods; Neutrons; Plastics; Protons;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.57387

Filename

57387