Detection of fast neutrons and digital pulse-shape discrimination between neutrons and gamma rays

TL;DR

This paper reviews fast neutron detection using liquid scintillators, discusses challenges like neutron-gamma discrimination and detector cross talk, and demonstrates that digital pulse-shape discrimination performs as well as analog methods.

Contribution

It introduces digital pulse-shape discrimination techniques for neutron detection and compares their effectiveness to traditional analog methods.

Findings

Digital pulse-shape discrimination matches analog performance.

Challenges in neutron-gamma discrimination are addressed.

Solutions for detector cross talk are discussed.

Abstract

The basic principles of detection of fast neutrons with liquid scintillator detectors are reviewed, together with a real example in the form of the Neutron Wall array. Two of the challenges in neutron detection, discrimination of neutrons and gamma rays and identification of cross talk between detectors due to neutron scattering, are briefly discussed, as well as possible solutions to these problems. The possibilities of using digital techniques for pulse-shape discrimination are examined. Results from a digital and analog versions of the zero cross-over algorithm are presented. The digital pulse-shape discrimination is shown to give, at least, as good results as the corresponding analogue version.