Massimo Barbagallo

Thermal neutron detection using a silicon pad detector and 6LiF removable converters

A semiconductor detector coupled with a neutron converter is a good candidate for neutron detection, especially for its compactness and reliability if compared with other devices, such as (3)He tubes, even though its intrinsic efficiency is rather lower. In this paper we show a neutron detector design consisting of a 3 cm × 3 cm silicon pad detector coupled with one or two external (6)LiF layers, enriched in (6)Li at 95%, placed in contact with the Si active surfaces. This prototype, first characterized and tested at INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud and then at JRC Ispra, was successfully shown to detect thermal neutrons with the expected efficiency and an outstanding gamma rejection capability.

Silicon detectors for monitoring neutron beams in n-TOF beamlines

During 2014, the second experimental area (EAR2) was completed at the n-TOF neutron beam facility at CERN (n-TOF indicates neutron beam measurements by means of time of flight technique). The neutrons are produced via spallation, by means of a high-intensity 20 GeV pulsed proton beam impinging on a thick target. The resulting neutron beam covers the energy range from thermal to several GeV. In this paper, we describe two beam diagnostic devices, both exploiting silicon detectors coupled with neutron converter foils containing (6)Li. The first one is based on four silicon pads and allows monitoring of the neutron beam flux as a function of the neutron energy. The second one, in beam and based on position sensitive silicon detectors, is intended for the reconstruction of the beam profile, again as a function of the neutron energy. Several electronic setups have been explored in order to overcome the issues related to the gamma flash, namely, a huge pulse present at the start of each neutron bunch which may blind the detectors for some time. The two devices were characterized with radioactive sources and also tested at the n-TOF facility at CERN. The wide energy and intensity range they proved capable of sustaining made them attractive and suitable to be used in both EAR1 and EAR2 n-TOF experimental areas, where they became immediately operational.

Characterization of the silicon+

Abstract The worldwide need to replace 3 He for neutron detection has triggered research and development on new technologies and methods. A promising one is based on commercial solid state silicon detectors coupled with thin neutron converter layers containing 6 Li. After proving the feasibility of this technique, we characterized the behavior of such a detector with different converter layer thicknesses. In this paper we also disentangle other contributions to the overall spectrum shape observed with this kind of detector, proving that its detection efficiency can be made reasonably high and that the gamma/neutron discrimination capability is comparable to that of 3 He tubes.

^6

We propose a system for the on-line monitoring of short and medium term radioactive waste repositories. Such a system is distributed, fine-grained, robust, reliable, and must be based on low-cost components. It could, in principle, open new perspectives on the modality of waste packaging and storage. In particular we propose to employ a new family of cheap and powerful micro sensors to be placed in shape of a fine grid around each single drum.

LiF thermal neutron detection technique

We propose a technique for thermal neutron detection, based on a (6)Li converter placed in front of scintillating fibers readout by means of silicon photomultipliers. Such a technique allows building cheap and compact detectors and dosimeters, thus possibly opening new perspectives in terms of granular monitoring of neutron fluxes as well as space-resolved neutron detection.

An online monitoring system for nuclear waste storage

The demand of new and high precision cross section data for neutron-induced reactions is continuously growing, driven by the requirements from several fields of fundamental physics, as well as from nuclear technology, medicine, etc. Several neutron facilities are operational worldwide, and new ones are being built. In the coming years, neutron beam intensities never reached up to now will be available, thus opening new scientific and technological frontiers. Among existing facilities, n_TOF at CERN provides a high intensity pulsed neutron beam in a wide energy range (thermal to GeV) and with an extremely competitive energy resolution that also allows spectroscopy studies. In order to ensure high quality measurements, the neutron beams must be fully characterized as a function of the neutron energy, in particular by measuring the neutron flux and the beam transverse profile with high accuracy. In 2014 a new experimental area (EAR2), with a much higher neutron flux, has been completed and commissioned at n_TOF. In order to characterize the neutron beam in the newly built experimental area at n_TOF, two suitable diagnostics devices have been built by the INFN-LNS group. Both are based on silicon detectors coupled with 6Li converter foils, in particular Single Pad for the flux measurement and Position Sensitive (strips and others) for the beam profile. The devices have been completely characterized with radioactive sources and with the n_TOF neutron beam, fulfilling all the specifications and hence becoming immediately operational. The performances of these devices and their high versatility, in terms of neutron beam intensity, make them suitable to be used in both n_TOF experimental areas. A description of the devices and the main results obtained so far will be presented.

Development of a thermal neutron detector based on scintillating fibers and silicon photomultipliers

The Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) has become a solid playground for many applications requiring compact and well performing photon detectors. In particular, this is true when the detection of few photons with good time resolution is required. In this paper, we show how the SiPM features can be exploited to set up a compact neutron detector. By coupling two SiPMs to an inorganic scintillator strip, one can discriminate between gamma-rays and neutrons and, at the same time, determine the impact position with millimeter accuracy.