Neutron-sensitive ZnS/10B2O3 ceramic scintillator detector as an alternative to a 3He-gas-based detector for a plutonium canister assay system

A neutron-sensitive ZnS/10B2O3 ceramic scintillator detector was developed as an alternative to a 3He-gas-based detector for use in a plutonium canister assay system. The detector has a modular structure, with a flat ZnS/10B2O3 ceramic scintillator strip that is installed diagonally inside a light-reflecting aluminium case with a square cross-section, and where the scintillation light is detected using two photomultiplier tubes attached at both ends of the case. The prototype detectors, which have a neutron-sensitive area of 30 mm×250 mm, exhibited a sensitivity of 21.7–23.4±0.1 cps/nv (mean±SD) for thermal neutrons, a 137Cs gamma-ray sensitivity of 1.1–1.9±0.2×10−7 and a count variation of less than 6% over the detector length. A trial experiment revealed a temperature coefficient of less than −0.24±0.05%/°C over the temperature range of 20–50 °C. The detector design and the experimental results are presented.