Detection of Neutrons: Part II
Ralf Nolte
Detection of Neutrons: Part II Ralf Nolte Table of Contents - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Detection of Neutrons: Part II Ralf Nolte Table of Contents Introduction Neutrons in Science and Technology Interaction of Neutrons with Matter Neutron Detection General Properties of Detectors Detectors for Thermal and
Detection of Neutrons: Part II
Ralf Nolte
Seite 2 von 58
– Neutrons in Science and Technology – Interaction of Neutrons with Matter
– General Properties of Detectors – Detectors for Thermal and Slow Neutrons – Detectors for Fast Neutrons
– Time-of-flight – Spectrometry – Spatial Neutron Distribution
– Associated particle methods – Key comparison
Table of Contents
Seite 3 von 58
Seite 4 von 58
Recoil Telescopes as Reference Instruments
– Properties of the scintillators show variations: Light output, H/C ratio – Full angular distribution for n-p scattering required – Interference from 12C(n,x) interactions – Detection efficiency difficult to calculate ‘accurately’ (1-2% uncertainty) Calibration required!
– Only n-p scattering contributes – Restricted range of scattering angels – ‘Localized’ response function – Efficiency determined by geometry, radiator mass and diff. cross section – Detection efficiency small: e = 10-4 - 10-5 – Energy range depends of radiator thickness
p 2 n p
cos E E
Seite 5 von 58
The Classical Low-Energy Telescope: T1 of PTB
Los Alamos in-beam design:
20-35 cm
(20.980.01) mm
1.2 MeV – 15 MeV using three radiators up to 20 MeV with degrader foils
P1 P2 SB
Radiator Si SB Diode Aperture
n
Seite 6 von 58
T1: Recoil Proton Spectra
P2 - P1 P1 + P2 - SB recoil protons SB
Seite 7 von 58
T1: Analysis
– (Semi)analytical integration – Monte Carlo simulation – Relativistic kinematics for CM → LAB! – Anisotropic source: D(d,n)
Y n N A A d d A E E A
A A np H geo p 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 geo n np n p p np
d d cos cos , d d
1 2
e e
En = 8.4 MeV
– Counting statistics: uN/N = 1% - 2% – Efficiency: ue/e = 1% –
Seite 8 von 58
Cu coll. + DE-E
RPT Design Exercise: 75 MeV
Test of a proton recoil telescopes for TLABS neutron beam facility:
quasi-monoenergetic spectrum, <En,0+1 > = 71.6 MeV (FWHM 3.2 MeV)
DE1-DE2-E
… which one made the race?
Seite 9 von 58
RPT Design Exercise: Results
E DE TOF E
Double stage RPT: Cu-coll. + DE-E
DE2 E TOF E
Triple stage RPT: DE1-DE2-E
Seite 10 von 58
Seite 11 von 58
Fission Ionization Chambers
Drift velocities: v = µ·E/p, vel >> vion Ion-induced signal suppressed by time constant of the pre-amp. Electron-induced signal depends on the location of the ionizing event
fissile layer
+HV electrons fission frag. d ions x r U0
d U E r E W e q d d
ff
x E q U CU d d r d r r E W C e U
R
d ) cos 1 ( d d 1
Seite 12 von 58
FF energy loss in the fissile deposit
Simulated Pulse-Height Spectra
Monte Carlo calculations:
Seite 13 von 58
Analytical Calculation of the Detection Efficiency
Absorption of fragments in the fissile layer: Higher order contributions:
99 . 94 . ... 2 1
ff f
R t e
t R
depends very much on sample quality
Ref.: G.W. Carlson, NIM 119 (1974) 97-100 W() = (1+B cos())/2
Seite 14 von 58
Electro-sprayed 238U3O8 layers
238U-PPFC
Fission Fragment Detection Efficiency
– a decay of fissile nuclei – recoil nuclei from backing materials
into this region
– thickness and ‘roughness’ of deposits – biasing scheme
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
natPb-PPFCEn = 145 MeV
light charged particles (normalized) fission fragments
counts pulse height / arb. units 100 200 300 400 500 50 100 150 200 250 300
counts per bin pulse height / arb. units
fission fragments
a particles
238U-PPFC
Painted 238U3O8 layers
Seite 15 von 58
242Pu Fission Chambers for Cross Section Measurements
molecular plating (U. Mainz)
– mPu = 42 mg, 242Pu: 99.9668 % – eight layers: 116 mg/cm2 – Aa= 6.17 MBq – Rsf = 34 s-1
– Spontaneous fission rate t1/2 = (6.77 ± 0.07)1010 a – Narrow-geometry alpha counting
Seite 16 von 58
Seite 17 von 58
TOF Spectrometry: Principles
Time and distance resolution contribute in same way: express flight time dt by an equivalent distance ddeq
n g Dt d
2
2
1 1 , ) 1 ( c v mc E t d v g g
2 2
, ) 1 ( d d t t v v v v E E d d d d g g d
Seite 18 von 58
Measurement of TOF Distributions
NB: Measured flight time tm includes time spent in target and detector!
Quasi-monoenergetic source ‘White’ source
Seite 19 von 58
Width of TOF Peaks
– Beam: time spread of the beam pulse dtbeam – Source: beam transit time dtsrc = dsrc/v energy-loss broadening dEsrc = fkin(Ebeam,En)·(dE/dx)·dsrc kinematical broadening fkin(En,)·d slowing-down time dtslow ≈ A/Ssv – Sample: kinematical spread dEspl = fkin(En,)·d – Detector: transit time dtdet = ddet/v multiple scattering spread dtms
depends on the details of the setup:
– Masses of projectiles and target nuclei: source and sample – Flight paths: source and sample
j j j j j j i i
E E l E t t t
2 n, 2 n, n, 2 2
2 ) , ( d d d
Seite 20 von 58
Time Response of Organic Scintillation Detectors
– Width of the main peak: flight time through det. – Exponential tails for pancake-like detectors (d >> l) – Non-Gaussian time response: R(E,t) – Modeled with Monte Carlo codes
12C(n,n)12C 1H(n,n)1H time / 0.1 ns
Exp.
Seite 21 von 58
Example: PTB TOF Spectrometer
En,0 = 10 MeV
– d tbeam = 1.6 ns – dEn,src = 106 keV – dsrc = 17 cm, ddet = 12 m dEn/En = 1.4 % for En,det = 2 MeV 1.8 % for En,det = 10 MeV
D(d,n)
Seite 22 von 58
Example: PTB TOF Spectrometer
Kinematical broadening
– Polyethylene (PE) sample – Incident energy: En,0 = 10.21 MeV – Scattering angle: = 29.3°
Separation of TOF peaks
Vanadium sample En,0 = 10.21 MeV = 36.8°
12C(n,n')12C* 12C(n,n)12C 1H(n,n)1H
CH2
51V
Seite 23 von 58
Self-TOF Spectrometers
– Pulsed beam (pick-up, RF) – Time-correlated associated particle (TCAP) – Recoil particle double-scattering experiment self-TOF spectrometry
– Designed for DD plasmas: <En> = 2.5 MeV – Energy resolution: DE/E ≈ 7% – Dynamic range: 105
5 start det.‘s BC-418 32 stop det.‘s BC-420 neutron beam
2 n 2 n n'
2 ) ( cos t R m E E E a
g n
Seite 24 von 58
TOF Spectrometry of Incompletely Pulsed Beams
Pulsed beams with rep. frequency f and flight path d Frame-overlap threshold: ‘only one pulse at a time’
2 c 2 c c
2 1 ) 1 ( mv mc E f d vc g
Possible workarounds:
Spectral fluence FE for E > Ec from TOF measurement
and Monte Carlo calculations for very low energies
n g d c/f
Seite 25 von 58
Lead Slowing-Down Spectrometer (LSDS)
energy and slowing-down time t:
– MC simulations – resonance analysis
– Reactions with rare isotopes – Fission of very radioactive isotopes – Fission of isomers
E
2 0)
( ) ( t t K t E
Detectors inserted in the moderator: – Compensated fission chambers – Solar cells with fissile layers – …
Seite 26 von 58
Neutron Detectors for TOF Measurements
– Suitable for neutron range En < 1 MeV – Strong photon sensitivity, stong energy dependence around 250 keV res. – Complicated time response due to 250 keV resonance: dt ≈ 3 - 4 ns – Sensitive to (epi)thermal background neutrons: 1/v
– Secondary standard cross sections: 235,238U(n,f) – Low but calculable detection efficiency: reference instrument – Slow time response requires long flight paths: dt ≈ 3 - 6 ns
– Fast response: dt ≈ 1 - 2 ns, often limited by PMT‘s – High detection efficiency: e ≈ 10 – 20% – Many sizes and shapes possible: 1 cm - 1 m –
– Discrimination of photon background by PSD – Quenching requires low pulse-height thresholds for En < 1-2 MeV
Seite 27 von 58
Seite 28 von 58
Need for ‘Non-TOF’ Spectrometry
– Accelerators based sources with high rep. rates: f > 0.1 - 1 MHz – Neutron diagnostics at nuclear fusion experiments – Sources without well-defined flight paths: Transmission through shields, fusion benchmarks – Neutrons in the environment – …
The spectral neutron distribution (dF/dE) is related to the distribution of ‘events’ (dN/dL) in the detector:
(Fredholm integral equation of the first kind)
The attempt to solve this equation is called ‘spectrometry’
F F
j j j i i E L
R N E E L R N
,
d ) , (
Seite 29 von 58
Spectrometric Methods
– Spectrometry of recoil nuclei:
recoil telescopes – Spectrometry using reaction products:
3He counters and ionization chambers
sandwich spectrometers diamond detectors – Capture-Gated spectrometry Make response matrix R as diagonal as possible!
– Multi-sphere spectrometry – Spectrometry using threshold activation foils
Seite 30 von 58
Unfolding Problem
How to get from Nj (data space) to Fj (space of possible solutions)
– There is a multitude of solutions Fj which produce the same Nj – The response Rj,i is not exactly known – The Nj have uncertainties ui
Nota bene:
F
j j j i i i
R u N
,
Seite 31 von 58
Technical Approaches to Unfolding
but: (RT·R)-1 is usually ill-conditioned if it exists at all: ‘noise’ is amplified, Fj < 0 possible! More suitable methods are required:
Iterative procedures: usually black-magic recipes! Stochastic methods: Monte Carlo, genetic algorithms, … Regularisation: add constraints to enforce smoothness Least-squares adjustment: usually linearization required Bayesian parameter estimation: requires an analytical model Maximum entropy principle: justifiable from information theory consistent treatment of prior information and uncertainties
Ref: M. Reginatto: Radiat. Meas. 45 (2010) 1323-1329
N R R R R N F F
T 1 T
) ( ... ), ( diag ,
, with ) (
2 1 1 1 T
S S
g g g i
T
V U U V R R
Seite 32 von 58
The PTB scintillation spectrometer : Response Matrix
Ref.: A. Zimbal et al., PoS(FNDA2006) 035 www.pos.sissa.it
2” x 2” BC501A cell
Seite 33 von 58
Measurements at JET
Seite 34 von 58
Ohmic and NBI Heated JET Discharges (DD)
Ohmic + NBI heating Ohmic heating
FWHM = 126 keV Ti = 2.3 keV
Ref.: A. Zimbal et al., PoS(FNDA2006) 035 www.pos.sissa.it
Seite 35 von 58
The Dark Side of Unfolding: Artefacts
Artefacts result from imperfect response function:
light yield L(En), resolution DL/L
imperfect satellite subtraction
T(d,n), Ed = 643 keV, = 0°: 2"2" BC501A detector with A = 7.2%, B = 10.5%
Seite 36 von 58
Few-Channel Unfolding: Multi-Sphere Spectrometry
BS spectrometer NEMUS
underground laboratory
Seite 37 von 58
Analysis: Bayesian Parameter Estimation
– Thermal peak : ≈ 25 meV – Slowing-down cont.: ≈ flat – Evaporation peak: ≈ 2-3 MeV – ‘Spallation’ peak: ≈ 100 MeV
Analytical model and Bayesian parameter estimation
priors Model, Data, Bayes theorem posteriors The ‘spallation’ peak (100 MeV) cannot determined only from the data!
Seite 38 von 58
20 µs 2"2"
Capture-Gated Spectrometry
‘tagged’ by capture signal response ‘more diagonal’
Q = 2.79 MeV
6Li(n,t)4He
Q = 4.78 MeV (preferred!)
Total pulse height L(En) not prop. to En!
Ref.: B.M. Fisher, NIMA 646 (2011) 126 – 134
Seite 39 von 58
Example: 5""3 boron-loaded detector (BC454 )
12C(n,n) + 1H(n,n)
Ref.: T. Aoyama, NIMA 333 (1993) 492- 501
Seite 40 von 58
LED (2x) Photodiodes (2x) EJ254XL Scintillator “Orb” PMT
NASA Mars Mission
Gd shield
Radiation detectors on NASA Mars Rover:
EJ254XL 10B-loaded scintillator Calibration: LED + Diode PMT readout En = 0.5 – 8 MeV
Courtesy: C. Zeitlin, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder (Colorado)
Seite 41 von 58
Modern Spectrometry with RTPs: Proton Tracking
Recoil telescope with track reconstruction:
En = Ep / cos2p
Neutrons Convertisseur CMOS Diode Si(Li)
1 2 3
Z X Y
Ref.: J. Taforeau: Un spectromètre à pixels actifs pour la métrologie des champs neutroniques, Thèse, Université de Strasbourg 2013 Deteriorated Ti(T) target AmBe source
Seite 42 von 58
Spectrometry using Exothermic Reactions
3He(n,p)T, Q = 0.76 MeV
Q c c c c E
th th f n
Spectrometry by detection of both reaction products:
NB: constant W-value assumed !
Seite 43 von 58
3He and 6Li Sandwich Spectrometers
6Li spectrometer:
radiator thickness
SB-det.
3He Spectrometer
Ref.: H. Bluhm et al., NIM115 (1974) 325-337
3He Prop. Counter
3He spectrometer
Seite 44 von 58
Spectrometry using scCVD Diamond Detectors
Single-crystal chemical vapor deposition diamond detectors (scCVD):
Very attractive material for neutron spectrometers
Ref.: H. Kagan, NIMA 546 (2005) 222-227
Seite 45 von 58
Seite 46 von 58
The Micromegas Beam Imager for n_TOF
–
6Li, 10B converter
– Counting gas: p, He recoil
6Li(n,t) 1H(n,n) 4He(n,n)
Ref: J. Pancin et al. NIMA 524 (2004) 102-114
Seite 47 von 58
Micromegas Results
– Converter: LiF, 10B4C – Readout anode: 6 cm 6 cm with 106 x and y strips, Gassiplex readout chip
Seite 48 von 58
Seite 49 von 58
Stability and Consistency of Neutron Measurements
– Purity of gases (H2, CH4, C3H8): RPPC – Tristearin (C57H110O6) radiators: RPT –
235,238U deposits: FC
Test of stability and consistency Comparison with ‘absolute methods’
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 0.90 0.95 1.00 1.05 1.10
(FD1/FRPT) En / MeV
(FD1/FRPT) = 0.995 s.dev. = 0.019
RPT1 DD H19 H21 FP3/200m FC16 UF4 FC16 U3O8 RPT1 DD H19 H21 FP3/200m
0.90 0.95 1.00 1.05 1.10
En = 8.4 MeV Y = (5.45 +/- 0.04) 10
4 srY / Y
En = 15 MeV Y = (2.217 +/- 0.020) 10
4 srStability Consistency
Seite 50 von 58
Standards: Absolute Methods Traceability of detector calibrations to the SI requires ‘Absolute’ methods for neutron production:
50% correction for capture and leakage 0.5 % uncertainty of the emission rate
standard technique, relies on <n>
standard technique, difficult
standard technique
low count rates
requires a tagged bremsstrahlung beam
very difficult
for T(d,n)4He, En ≈ 14.2 MeV
Seite 51 von 58
252Cf(s.f.) Ionization Chamber
Aa = 4.5 MBq Rsf = 1.4105 s-1 time resolution: 1 ns
n
Seite 52 von 58
TCAP: T(d,n)4He, D(d,n)3He
requires DE-E separation of 3He
Loss of correlation due to angular straggling!
Seite 53 von 58
TCAP with T(d,n) at Ed,0 = 150 keV
n a d
– Tritium depth profile in Ti(T) target – Position of the beam spot
150 keV d in Ti(T) is a challenge!
Seite 54 von 58
Metrological Cooperation: Key Comparisons
KCRV: 1 – 1.5 % Standard deviation: 2 – 4 % CCRI(III)-K11 (2010-2011)
Seite 55 von 58
Summary:
Neutron detection means conversion to charged particles:
Measurements techniques:
Normalization:
Seite 56 von 58
Tributes
Horst Klein
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Braunschweig und Berlin Bundesallee 100 38116 Braunschweig
AG 6.42 Neutron Metrology Telefon: 0531 592-6420 E-Mail: ralf.nolte@ptb.de www.ptb.de
Seite 58 von 58
Seite 59 von 58
High-Energy Telescopes
Neutron energies above 20 MeV pose special challenges:
Proton recoil telescope T2: En = 20 – 60 MeV
Seite 60 von 58
TOF Variants : Slowing-Down Spectrometry
Heavy (A = 208) non-absorbing moderator with constant isotropic scattering cross section:
slowing-down time: , mean energy: Time dependence of the velocity v:
3
10 5 . 9 3 2 2
A
2 2 2
10 7 . 5 3 2
A tE
tE
11 . 3 8
2 2
A E
E
) ( 2 ) (
s
v v t t v S
Pb cross section
Seite 61 von 58
Lead Slowing-Down Spectrometer (LSDS)
energy and slowing-down time t:
– MC simulations – resonance analysis
– Reactions with rare isotopes – Fission of very radioactive isotopes – Fission of isomers
E
2 0)
( ) ( t t K t E
Detectors inserted in the moderator: – Compensated fission chambers – Solar cells with fissile layers – …
Seite 62 von 58
The LANSCE Slowing-Down Spectrometer
Ref.: D. Rochman et al., NIMA 550 (2005) 397-413
Resolution broadening