Inexpensive and practical sealed drift-tube neutron detector

Zhehui Wang; C. L. Morris; M. F. Makela; J. D. Bacon; E. E. Baer; M. I. Brockwell; B. J. Brooks; D. J. Clark; J. A. Green; S. J. Greene; G. E. Hogan; R. Langan; M. M. Murray; F. E. Pazuchanics; M. P. Phelps; J. C. Ramsey; N. P. Reimus; J. D. Roybal; A. Saltus; M. Saltus; R. Shimada; R. J. Spaulding; J. G. Wood; F. J. Wysocki

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251

Inexpensive and practical sealed drift-tube neutron detector

Zhehui Wang, C. L. Morris, M. F. Makela, J. D. Bacon, E. E. Baer, M. I. Brockwell, B. J. Brooks, D. J. Clark, J. A. Green, S. J. Greene, G. E. Hogan, R. Langan, M. M. Murray, F. E. Pazuchanics, M. P. Phelps, J. C. Ramsey, N. P. Reimus, J. D. Roybal, A. Saltus, M. SaltusR. Shimada, R. J. Spaulding, J. G. Wood, F. J. Wysocki

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

The design, construction, and performance of a type of sealed ³He drift tubes for neutron detection are presented. Because the ³He pressure is in the 25-300 mbar range, the detector costs are not dominated by the ³He gas. Intrinsic neutron detection efficiencies up to 5% have been observed by using high-density polyethylene moderation. Sensitive measurements of the detector lifetime are achieved by monitoring the full-energy peak of the ³He(n, p)³H reaction as a function of time. The neutron peak position shows a 24-h cycle that may be explained by the physical adsorption of gases onto the wall. The estimated lifetimes of the detectors are sufficiently long and therefore, the design and the construction are robust and practical for applications such as fissile material detection.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	430-432
Number of pages	3
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Volume	605
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251
State	Published - Jul 1 2009
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This work has been supported in part by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the Department of Defense and a CRADA agreement between LANL and Decision Sciences Corp.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Defense
Defense Threat Reduction Agency

Keywords

Detector lifetime
Diurnal oscillation
Gain drift
Neutron detection efficiency
Sealed drift tubes

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10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251

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Wang, Z., Morris, C. L., Makela, M. F., Bacon, J. D., Baer, E. E., Brockwell, M. I., Brooks, B. J., Clark, D. J., Green, J. A., Greene, S. J., Hogan, G. E., Langan, R., Murray, M. M., Pazuchanics, F. E., Phelps, M. P., Ramsey, J. C., Reimus, N. P., Roybal, J. D., Saltus, A., ... Wysocki, F. J. (2009). Inexpensive and practical sealed drift-tube neutron detector. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 605(3), 430-432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251

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title = "Inexpensive and practical sealed drift-tube neutron detector",

abstract = "The design, construction, and performance of a type of sealed 3He drift tubes for neutron detection are presented. Because the 3He pressure is in the 25-300 mbar range, the detector costs are not dominated by the 3He gas. Intrinsic neutron detection efficiencies up to 5% have been observed by using high-density polyethylene moderation. Sensitive measurements of the detector lifetime are achieved by monitoring the full-energy peak of the 3He(n, p)3H reaction as a function of time. The neutron peak position shows a 24-h cycle that may be explained by the physical adsorption of gases onto the wall. The estimated lifetimes of the detectors are sufficiently long and therefore, the design and the construction are robust and practical for applications such as fissile material detection.",

keywords = "Detector lifetime, Diurnal oscillation, Gain drift, Neutron detection efficiency, Sealed drift tubes",

author = "Zhehui Wang and Morris, {C. L.} and Makela, {M. F.} and Bacon, {J. D.} and Baer, {E. E.} and Brockwell, {M. I.} and Brooks, {B. J.} and Clark, {D. J.} and Green, {J. A.} and Greene, {S. J.} and Hogan, {G. E.} and R. Langan and Murray, {M. M.} and Pazuchanics, {F. E.} and Phelps, {M. P.} and Ramsey, {J. C.} and Reimus, {N. P.} and Roybal, {J. D.} and A. Saltus and M. Saltus and R. Shimada and Spaulding, {R. J.} and Wood, {J. G.} and Wysocki, {F. J.}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251",

language = "English",

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Wang, Z, Morris, CL, Makela, MF, Bacon, JD, Baer, EE, Brockwell, MI, Brooks, BJ, Clark, DJ, Green, JA, Greene, SJ, Hogan, GE, Langan, R, Murray, MM, Pazuchanics, FE, Phelps, MP, Ramsey, JC, Reimus, NP, Roybal, JD, Saltus, A, Saltus, M, Shimada, R, Spaulding, RJ, Wood, JG & Wysocki, FJ 2009, 'Inexpensive and practical sealed drift-tube neutron detector', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, vol. 605, no. 3, pp. 430-432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251

TY - JOUR

T1 - Inexpensive and practical sealed drift-tube neutron detector

AU - Wang, Zhehui

AU - Morris, C. L.

AU - Makela, M. F.

AU - Bacon, J. D.

AU - Baer, E. E.

AU - Brockwell, M. I.

AU - Brooks, B. J.

AU - Clark, D. J.

AU - Green, J. A.

AU - Greene, S. J.

AU - Hogan, G. E.

AU - Langan, R.

AU - Murray, M. M.

AU - Pazuchanics, F. E.

AU - Phelps, M. P.

AU - Ramsey, J. C.

AU - Reimus, N. P.

AU - Roybal, J. D.

AU - Saltus, A.

AU - Saltus, M.

AU - Shimada, R.

AU - Spaulding, R. J.

AU - Wood, J. G.

AU - Wysocki, F. J.

PY - 2009/7/1

Y1 - 2009/7/1

N2 - The design, construction, and performance of a type of sealed 3He drift tubes for neutron detection are presented. Because the 3He pressure is in the 25-300 mbar range, the detector costs are not dominated by the 3He gas. Intrinsic neutron detection efficiencies up to 5% have been observed by using high-density polyethylene moderation. Sensitive measurements of the detector lifetime are achieved by monitoring the full-energy peak of the 3He(n, p)3H reaction as a function of time. The neutron peak position shows a 24-h cycle that may be explained by the physical adsorption of gases onto the wall. The estimated lifetimes of the detectors are sufficiently long and therefore, the design and the construction are robust and practical for applications such as fissile material detection.

AB - The design, construction, and performance of a type of sealed 3He drift tubes for neutron detection are presented. Because the 3He pressure is in the 25-300 mbar range, the detector costs are not dominated by the 3He gas. Intrinsic neutron detection efficiencies up to 5% have been observed by using high-density polyethylene moderation. Sensitive measurements of the detector lifetime are achieved by monitoring the full-energy peak of the 3He(n, p)3H reaction as a function of time. The neutron peak position shows a 24-h cycle that may be explained by the physical adsorption of gases onto the wall. The estimated lifetimes of the detectors are sufficiently long and therefore, the design and the construction are robust and practical for applications such as fissile material detection.

KW - Detector lifetime

KW - Diurnal oscillation

KW - Gain drift

KW - Neutron detection efficiency

KW - Sealed drift tubes

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U2 - 10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251

DO - 10.1016/j.nima.2009.03.251

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:67649577223

SN - 0168-9002

VL - 605

SP - 430

EP - 432

JO - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

JF - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

IS - 3

ER -

Inexpensive and practical sealed drift-tube neutron detector

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Funding

Keywords

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