Proton light yield of fast plastic scintillators for neutron imaging

TL;DR

This study measures the proton light yield of specific fast plastic scintillators, EJ-230, EJ-232, and EJ-232Q, to improve neutron detection and imaging capabilities for security applications.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed proton light yield relations for these scintillators over a broad energy range, aiding neutron detection modeling.

Findings

EJ-230, EJ-232, and EJ-232Q show similar proton light yields.

Proton light yield relations are consistent across different scintillator sizes.

Data supports improved computational modeling of neutron detection systems.

Abstract

Plastic organic scintillators have been tailored in composition to achieve ultra-fast temporal response, thereby enabling the design and development of fast neutron detection systems with high timing resolution. Eljen Technology's plastic organic scintillators -- EJ-230, EJ-232, and EJ-232Q -- are prospective candidates for use in emerging neutron imaging systems, where fast timing is paramount. To support the neutron response characterization of these materials, the relative proton light yields of EJ-230, EJ-232, and EJ-232Q were measured at the 88-Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Using a broad-spectrum neutron source and a double time-of-flight technique, the proton light yield relations were obtained over a proton recoil energy range of approximately 300 keV to 4 MeV. The EJ-230, EJ-232, and EJ-232Q scintillators exhibited similar proton light yield relations to each other as well as to other plastic scintillators with the same polymer base material. A comparison of the relative proton light yield of different sized cylindrical EJ-232 and EJ-232Q scintillators also revealed consistent results. This work provides key input data for the realistic computational modeling of neutron detection technologies employing these materials, thereby supporting new capabilities in near-field radionuclide detection for national security applications.