Scintillator-based Timepix3 detector for neutron spin-echo techniques using intensity modulation

Fumiaki Funama; Su Ann Chong; Matthew Loyd; Kazimierz J. Gofron; Yuxuan Zhang; Stephen J. Kuhn; Chen Zhang; Michael R. Fitzsimmons; Anton Khaplanov; Bogdan Vacaliuc; Lowell Crow; Fankang Li

doi:10.1063/5.0189920

Scintillator-based Timepix3 detector for neutron spin-echo techniques using intensity modulation

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Abstract

A scintillator-based Timepix3 (TPX3) detector was developed to resolve the high-frequency modulation of a neutron beam in both spatial and temporal domains, as required for neutron spin-echo experiments. In this system, light from a scintillator is manipulated with an optical lens and is intensified using an image intensifier, making it detectable with the TPX3 chip. Two different scintillators, namely, ⁶LiF:ZnS(Ag) and ⁶LiI:Eu, were investigated to achieve the high resolution needed for spin-echo modulated small-angle neutron scattering (SEMSANS) and modulation of intensity with zero effort (MIEZE). The methodology for conducting event-mode analysis is described, including the optimization of clustering parameters for both scintillators. The detector with both scintillators was characterized with respect to detection efficiency, spatial resolution, count rate, uniformity, and γ-sensitivity. The ⁶LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator-based detector achieved a spatial resolution of 200 μm and a count rate capability of 1.1 × 10⁵ cps, while the ⁶LiI:Eu scintillator-based detector demonstrated a spatial resolution of 250 μm and a count rate capability exceeding 2.9 × 10⁵ cps. Furthermore, high-frequency intensity modulations in both spatial and temporal domains were successfully observed, confirming the suitability of this detector for SEMSANS and MIEZE techniques, respectively.

Original language	English
Article number	033304
Journal	Review of Scientific Instruments
Volume	95
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0189920
State	Published - Mar 1 2024

Funding

We are grateful to Doug Kyle and Justin Beal (ORNL) for supporting the experiments. We would like to thank Gary Taufer and Ray Gregory (ORNL) for the development of instrument control systems to automate our measurements. We appreciate Mike Harrington and Hugh Harvey (ORNL) for the hardware support. We also thank James Kohl, Rich Crompton, and Matthew Bedynek (ORNL) for their work on the data streaming software. We are grateful to Kevin Berry (ORNL) for the use of Cf neutron source and reviewing this paper. We would like to thank to Hassina Bilheux for the use of the line-pair target. We appreciate Sam Mckay (Indiana University) and Kaleb Burrage (ORNL) for lending us a hand in setting up and troubleshooting the detector. F.F. appreciates Jon Leiner (ORNL) for the useful discussion about the CASCADE detector. F.F. and M.L. thank Jun Wang and Vivek Nagarkar (Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc.) for the meaningful discussion about the LiI:Eu scintillator. F.F. and A.K. would like to thank Adrian Losko (Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz) for showing them his detector at Los Alamos National Laboratory. F.F. thanks Polad Shikhaliev (ORNL) for the useful discussion about the LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Early Career Research Program Award (Grant No. KC0402010 with Proposal No. ERKCSA4), under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725. This research used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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title = "Scintillator-based Timepix3 detector for neutron spin-echo techniques using intensity modulation",

abstract = "A scintillator-based Timepix3 (TPX3) detector was developed to resolve the high-frequency modulation of a neutron beam in both spatial and temporal domains, as required for neutron spin-echo experiments. In this system, light from a scintillator is manipulated with an optical lens and is intensified using an image intensifier, making it detectable with the TPX3 chip. Two different scintillators, namely, 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) and 6LiI:Eu, were investigated to achieve the high resolution needed for spin-echo modulated small-angle neutron scattering (SEMSANS) and modulation of intensity with zero effort (MIEZE). The methodology for conducting event-mode analysis is described, including the optimization of clustering parameters for both scintillators. The detector with both scintillators was characterized with respect to detection efficiency, spatial resolution, count rate, uniformity, and γ-sensitivity. The 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator-based detector achieved a spatial resolution of 200 μm and a count rate capability of 1.1 × 105 cps, while the 6LiI:Eu scintillator-based detector demonstrated a spatial resolution of 250 μm and a count rate capability exceeding 2.9 × 105 cps. Furthermore, high-frequency intensity modulations in both spatial and temporal domains were successfully observed, confirming the suitability of this detector for SEMSANS and MIEZE techniques, respectively.",

author = "Fumiaki Funama and Chong, \{Su Ann\} and Matthew Loyd and Gofron, \{Kazimierz J.\} and Yuxuan Zhang and Kuhn, \{Stephen J.\} and Chen Zhang and Fitzsimmons, \{Michael R.\} and Anton Khaplanov and Bogdan Vacaliuc and Lowell Crow and Fankang Li",

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doi = "10.1063/5.0189920",

language = "English",

volume = "95",

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T1 - Scintillator-based Timepix3 detector for neutron spin-echo techniques using intensity modulation

AU - Funama, Fumiaki

AU - Chong, Su Ann

AU - Loyd, Matthew

AU - Gofron, Kazimierz J.

AU - Zhang, Yuxuan

AU - Kuhn, Stephen J.

AU - Zhang, Chen

AU - Fitzsimmons, Michael R.

AU - Khaplanov, Anton

AU - Vacaliuc, Bogdan

AU - Crow, Lowell

AU - Li, Fankang

PY - 2024/3/1

Y1 - 2024/3/1

N2 - A scintillator-based Timepix3 (TPX3) detector was developed to resolve the high-frequency modulation of a neutron beam in both spatial and temporal domains, as required for neutron spin-echo experiments. In this system, light from a scintillator is manipulated with an optical lens and is intensified using an image intensifier, making it detectable with the TPX3 chip. Two different scintillators, namely, 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) and 6LiI:Eu, were investigated to achieve the high resolution needed for spin-echo modulated small-angle neutron scattering (SEMSANS) and modulation of intensity with zero effort (MIEZE). The methodology for conducting event-mode analysis is described, including the optimization of clustering parameters for both scintillators. The detector with both scintillators was characterized with respect to detection efficiency, spatial resolution, count rate, uniformity, and γ-sensitivity. The 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator-based detector achieved a spatial resolution of 200 μm and a count rate capability of 1.1 × 105 cps, while the 6LiI:Eu scintillator-based detector demonstrated a spatial resolution of 250 μm and a count rate capability exceeding 2.9 × 105 cps. Furthermore, high-frequency intensity modulations in both spatial and temporal domains were successfully observed, confirming the suitability of this detector for SEMSANS and MIEZE techniques, respectively.

AB - A scintillator-based Timepix3 (TPX3) detector was developed to resolve the high-frequency modulation of a neutron beam in both spatial and temporal domains, as required for neutron spin-echo experiments. In this system, light from a scintillator is manipulated with an optical lens and is intensified using an image intensifier, making it detectable with the TPX3 chip. Two different scintillators, namely, 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) and 6LiI:Eu, were investigated to achieve the high resolution needed for spin-echo modulated small-angle neutron scattering (SEMSANS) and modulation of intensity with zero effort (MIEZE). The methodology for conducting event-mode analysis is described, including the optimization of clustering parameters for both scintillators. The detector with both scintillators was characterized with respect to detection efficiency, spatial resolution, count rate, uniformity, and γ-sensitivity. The 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator-based detector achieved a spatial resolution of 200 μm and a count rate capability of 1.1 × 105 cps, while the 6LiI:Eu scintillator-based detector demonstrated a spatial resolution of 250 μm and a count rate capability exceeding 2.9 × 105 cps. Furthermore, high-frequency intensity modulations in both spatial and temporal domains were successfully observed, confirming the suitability of this detector for SEMSANS and MIEZE techniques, respectively.

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ER -

Scintillator-based Timepix3 detector for neutron spin-echo techniques using intensity modulation

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