Design and test of a large-area scintillation detector for fast neutrons

A plastic scintillator array of 3.4 m2 total area for the detection of neutrons in medium-energy nucleon–nucleon reactions was constructed and built. Calibration procedures for the detector were developed which allow the monitoring of gain shifts by means of muons from the cosmic radiation. Experiments were performed in order to calibrate the efficiency simulations and study the performance of the detector using the d+t→α+n reaction at 14.7 MeV neutron energy and proton-induced deuteron breakup at 300 MeV.