Detector rates for the Small Angle Neutron Scattering instruments at the European Spallation Source

TL;DR

This paper estimates the neutron incident and detection rates for the upcoming ESS Small Angle Neutron Scattering instruments, addressing the need for advanced detectors capable of handling unprecedented neutron brilliance.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of expected detector rates for ESS SANS instruments, highlighting the challenges and requirements for future detector technology.

Findings

Estimated peak neutron rates per detector channel

Identified technological challenges for high-rate detectors

Guidelines for detector design at ESS

Abstract

Building the European Spallation Source (ESS), the most powerful neutron source in the world, requires significant technological advances at most fronts of instrument component design. Detectors are not an exception. The existing implementations at current neutron scattering facilities are at their performance limits and sometimes barely cover the scientific needs. At full operation the ESS will yield unprecedented neutron brilliance. This means that one of the most challenging aspects for the new detector designs is the increased rate capability and in particular the peak instantaneous rate capability, i.e.\,the number of neutrons hitting the detector per channel, pixel or cm$^2$ at the peak of the neutron pulse. This paper focuses on estimating the incident and detection rates that are anticipated for the Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) instruments planned for ESS. Various approaches are applied and the results thereof are presented.