Fast Neutron Detection Efficiency of 6Li and 7Li Enriched CLYC Scintillators using an Am-Be source

TL;DR

This study compares the fast neutron detection efficiency of two Li-enriched CLYC scintillators, highlighting their capabilities and efficiencies using an Am-Be source and pulse-shape discrimination.

Contribution

It provides the first direct comparison of 6Li and 7Li enriched CLYC scintillators' neutron detection efficiencies under the same experimental conditions.

Findings

C6LYC detects both fast and thermal neutrons.

C7LYC detects only fast neutrons.

Detection efficiency for neutrons up to 10 MeV was quantified.

Abstract

The fast neutrons produced by a calibrated 241Am-Be source were detected by two different Cs2LiYCl6:Ce (CLYC) scintillator detectors. The two cylindrical crystals (1"x1" in size) were enriched with more than 99% of 7Li (C7LYC) and with about 95% of 6Li (C6LYC), respectively. Both crystals can detect fast neutrons whereas only C6LYC can also detect thermal neutrons, due to the presence of 6Li. The measurement was performed at the L.A.S.A. Laboratory of INFN and University of Milano (Italy). To identify the neutron events, the Pulse-Shape-Discrimination technique was used. A value for the detection efficiency of the 241Am-Be emitted neutrons, with energy up to 10 MeV, was deduced.