Fast- and thermal-neutron detection with common NaI(Tl) detectors

Radionuclide Identification Devices (RIDs) or Backpack Radiation Detection Systems (BRDs) are often equipped with NaI(Tl) detectors. We demonstrate that such instruments could be provided with reasonable thermal- and fast-neutron sensitivity by means of an improved and sophisticated processing of th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Pausch, Guntram, Kreuels, Achim, Scherwinski, Falko, Kong, Yong, Kuester, Mathias, Lentering, Ralf, Wolf, Andreas, Stein, Juergen
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 13.08.2022
Subjects
Detectors
Fast neutrons
Gamma rays
Iodine
Neutrons
Radiation
Radioisotopes
Scintillation counters
Signal processing
Thermal neutrons
Weakly interacting massive particles
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Summary:Radionuclide Identification Devices (RIDs) or Backpack Radiation Detection Systems (BRDs) are often equipped with NaI(Tl) detectors. We demonstrate that such instruments could be provided with reasonable thermal- and fast-neutron sensitivity by means of an improved and sophisticated processing of the digitized detector signals: Fast neutrons produce nuclear recoils in the scintillation crystal. Corresponding signals are detectible and can be distinguished from that of electronic interactions by pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) techniques as used in experiments searching for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). Thermal neutrons are often captured in iodine nuclei of the scintillator. The gamma-ray cascades following such captures comprise a sum energy of almost 7 MeV, and some of them involve isomeric states leading to delayed gamma emissions. Both features can be used to distinguish corresponding detector signals from responses to ambient gamma radiation. The experimental proof was adduced by offline analyses of pulse records taken with a commercial RID. An implementation of such techniques in commercial RIDs is feasible.
ISSN:2331-8422