# Advancements in Gd-based neutron detection: $\gamma - \gamma$ coincidence approach

1 LCAE - Laboratoire Capteurs et Architectures Electroniques
DM2I - Département Métrologie Instrumentation & Information : DRT/LIST/DM2I
Abstract : CEA LIST is working on the development of a high-sensitivity thermal neutron counter, based on the insertion of gadolinium in spherical plastic scintillators. As the radiation sensor comprises one or several volumes of scintillating polymers, it is, by nature, sensitive to both neutron and gamma radiations. This property allows the development of a versatile detector, provided that it is possible to algorithmically separate the signature of both types of radiations. The technologically building brick is, moreover, to be implemented in a transportable (<15 kg) system, handled by a first intervention task force in an exposed area. The aim of this paper is to study, both through Monte Carlo simulation and experimentally, an algorithmic architecture of the measurement chain discriminating neutron and gamma events. The presentation is subdivided in three main sections. First, we detail a comparative study between the outputs of a numerical modeling tool, developed to simulate the total response of the sensor to varying radiation sources and the results of a series of experiments carried out in a controlled environment. Second, we describe the building and numerical pre-validation of a simulation code dedicated to the study of consolidated algorithmic architecture, namely γ–γ quasi-coincidence on two adjacent plastic scintillators. Third, we comment on an experimental study of γ–γ quasi-coincidence, Gd-based neutron detection and a comparison between the results and the estimated of the numerical study. We conclude with the presentation of first estimates of neutron sensitivity), gamma-background vulnerability, and n/γ discrimination ratio for the scaled and assessed, material and algorithmic architectures.
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Journal articles
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https://hal-cea.archives-ouvertes.fr/cea-01916037
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Submitted on : Thursday, February 24, 2022 - 11:40:40 AM
Last modification on : Friday, February 25, 2022 - 3:28:33 AM
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Jonathan Dumazert, Romain Coulon, Gwenole Corre, Matthieu Hamel, Quentin Lecomte, et al.. Advancements in Gd-based neutron detection: $\gamma - \gamma$ coincidence approach. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Elsevier, 2020, 954, pp.161199. ⟨10.1016/j.nima.2018.09.034⟩. ⟨cea-01916037⟩

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