Detection of thermal neutrons with a CMOS pixel sensor for a future dosemeter

The RaMsEs group (Radioprotection et Mesures Environnementales) is developing a new compact device for operational neutron dosimetry. The electronic part of the detector is made of an integrated active pixel sensor, originally designed for tracking in particle physics. This device has useful features for neutrons, such as high detection efficiency for charged particles, good radiation resistance, high readout speed, low power consumption and high rejection of photon background. A good response of the device to fast neutrons has already been demonstrated [1]. In order to test the sensibility of the detector to thermal neutrons, experiments have been carried out with a 512×512 pixel CMOS sensor on a californium source moderated with heavy water (Cf+D2O) on the Van Gogh irradiator at the LMDN, IRSN, Cadarache, France. A thin boron converter is used to benefit from the significant cross section of the ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li reaction. Results show a high detection efficiency (around 10^-3) of the device to thermal neutrons. Our measurements are in good agreement with GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations.