Time-and energy-resolved effects in the boron-10 based multi-grid and helium-3 based thermal neutron detectors

Backis, A. et al. (2021) Time-and energy-resolved effects in the boron-10 based multi-grid and helium-3 based thermal neutron detectors. Measurement Science and Technology, 32(3), 035903. (doi: 10.1088/1361-6501/abc63e)

Abstract

The boron-10 based Multi-Grid detector is being developed as an alternative to helium-3 based neutron detectors. At the European Spallation Source, the detector will be used for time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy at cold to thermal neutron energies. The objective of this work is to investigate fine time- and energy-resolved effects of the Multi-Grid detector, down to a few μeV, while comparing it to the performance of a typical helium-3 tube. Furthermore, it is to characterize differences between the detector technologies in terms of internal scattering, as well as the time reconstruction of ~ μs short neutron pulses. The data were taken at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, where the Multi-Grid detector and a helium-3 tube were installed at the ESS test beamline, V20. Using a Fermi-chopper, the neutron beam of the reactor was chopped into a few tens of μs wide pulses before reaching the detector, located a few tens of cm downstream. The data of the measurements show an agreement between the derived and calculated neutron detection efficiency curve. The data also provide fine details on the effect of internal scattering, and how it can be reduced. For the first time, the chopper resolution was comparable to the timing resolution of the Multi-Grid detector. This allowed a detailed study of time- and energy resolved effects, as well as a comparison with a typical helium-3 tube.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Backis, Alexander and Hall-Wilton, Professor Richard and Al Jebali, Dr Ramsey and Hamilton, Dr David
• Authors: Backis, A., Khaplanov, A., Al Jebali, R., Ammer, R., Apostolidis, I., Birch, J., Lai, C.-C., Deen, P.P., Etxegarai, M., de Ruette, N., Freita Ramos, J., Forster, D.F., Haettner, E., Hall-Wilton, R., Hamilton, D., Hoglund, C., Kadletz, P. M., Kanaki, K., Karnickis, E., Kirstein, O., Kolya, S., Kraujalyte, Z., Laloni, A., Livingston, K., Lohman, O., Maulerova, V., Mauritzon, N., Muller, F., Lopez Higuera, I., Richter, T., Robinson, L., Roth, R., Shetty, M., Taylor, J., Woracek, R., and Xiong, W.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Journal Name: Measurement Science and Technology
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• ISSN: 0957-0233
• ISSN (Online): 1361-6501
• Published Online: 30 October 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Measurement Science and Technology 32(3): 035903
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence