Deuterated-xylene (xylene-d sub(10); EJ301D): A new, improved deuterated liquid scintillator for neutron energy measurements without time-of-flight

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Vol. 820; pp. 112 - 120
• Main Authors: Becchetti, F D, Raymond, R S, Torres-Isea, RO, Di Fulvio, A, Clarke, S D, Pozzi, SA, Febbraro, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-06-2016
• Subjects: Arrays; Beams (radiation); Carcinogens; Detectors; Deuteration; Energy measurement; Liquids; Spectrometers
• ISSN: 0168-9002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2016.02.058

In conjunction with Eljen Technology, Inc. (Sweetwater,TX) we have designed, constructed, and evaluated a 3 in. 3 in. deuterated-xylene organic liquid scintillator (C sub(8)D sub(10); EJ301D) as a fast neutron detector. Similar to deuterated benzene (C sub(6)D sub(6); NE230, BC537, and EJ315) this scintillator can provide good pulse-shape discrimination between neutrons and gamma rays, has good timing characteristics, and can provide a light spectrum with peaks corresponding to discrete neutron energy groups up to ca. 20 MeV. Unlike benzene-based detectors, deuterated xylene is less volatile, less toxic, is not known to be carcinogenic, has a higher flashpoint, and hence is much safer for many applications. In addition EJ301D can provide slightly more light output and better PSD than deuterated-benzene scintillators. We show that, as with deuterated-benzene scintillators, the light-response spectra can be unfolded to provide useable neutron energy spectra without need for time-of-flight (ToF). An array of these detectors arranged at many angles close to a reaction target can be much more effective (10 to 100 or more) than an array of long-path ToF detectors which must utilize a narrowly-bunched and pulse-selected beam. As we demonstrate using a small Van de Graaff accelerator, measurements can thus be performed when a bunched and pulse-selected beam (as needed for time-of-flight) is not available.