TY - JOUR

T1 - Time- and energy-resolved effects in the boron-10 based multi-grid and helium-3 based thermal neutron detectors

AU - Backis, A.

AU - Khaplanov, A.

AU - Al Jebali, R.

AU - Ammer, R.

AU - Apostolidis, Ilias

AU - Birch, J.

AU - Lai, C. C.

AU - Deen, P. P.

AU - Etxegarai, M.

AU - de Ruette, N.

AU - Ramos, J. Freita

AU - Foerster, D. F.

AU - Haettner, E.

AU - Hall-Wilton, R.

AU - Hamilton, D.

AU - Hoglund, C.

AU - Kadletz, P. M.

AU - Kanaki, K.

AU - Karnickis, E.

AU - Kirstein, O.

AU - Kolya, S.

AU - Kraujalyte, Z.

AU - Laloni, A.

AU - Livingston, K.

AU - Loehman, O.

AU - Maulerova, null

AU - Mauritzon, N.

AU - Mueller, F.

AU - Higuera, I. Lopez

AU - Richter, T.

AU - Robinson, L.

AU - Roth, R.

AU - Shetty, M.

AU - Taylor, J.

AU - Woracek, R.

AU - Xiong, W.

PY - 2021/3/1

Y1 - 2021/3/1

N2 - The boron-10 based multi-grid detector is being developed as an alternative to helium-3 based neutron detectors. At the European Spallation Source, the detector will be used for time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy at cold to thermal neutron energies. The objective of this work is to investigate fine time- and energy-resolved effects of the Multi-Grid detector, down to a few mu eV, while comparing it to the performance of a typical helium-3 tube. Furthermore, it is to characterize differences between the detector technologies in terms of internal scattering, as well as the time reconstruction of similar to mu s short neutron pulses. The data were taken at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, where the Multi-Grid detector and a helium-3 tube were installed at the ESS test beamline, V20. Using a Fermi-chopper, the neutron beam of the reactor was chopped into a few tens of mu s wide pulses before reaching the detector, located a few tens of cm downstream. The data of the measurements show an agreement between the derived and calculated neutron detection efficiency curve. The data also provide fine details on the effect of internal scattering, and how it can be reduced. For the first time, the chopper resolution was comparable to the timing resolution of the Multi-Grid detector. This allowed a detailed study of time- and energy resolved effects, as well as a comparison with a typical helium-3 tube.

AB - The boron-10 based multi-grid detector is being developed as an alternative to helium-3 based neutron detectors. At the European Spallation Source, the detector will be used for time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy at cold to thermal neutron energies. The objective of this work is to investigate fine time- and energy-resolved effects of the Multi-Grid detector, down to a few mu eV, while comparing it to the performance of a typical helium-3 tube. Furthermore, it is to characterize differences between the detector technologies in terms of internal scattering, as well as the time reconstruction of similar to mu s short neutron pulses. The data were taken at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, where the Multi-Grid detector and a helium-3 tube were installed at the ESS test beamline, V20. Using a Fermi-chopper, the neutron beam of the reactor was chopped into a few tens of mu s wide pulses before reaching the detector, located a few tens of cm downstream. The data of the measurements show an agreement between the derived and calculated neutron detection efficiency curve. The data also provide fine details on the effect of internal scattering, and how it can be reduced. For the first time, the chopper resolution was comparable to the timing resolution of the Multi-Grid detector. This allowed a detailed study of time- and energy resolved effects, as well as a comparison with a typical helium-3 tube.

KW - neutron detectors

KW - gaseous detectors

KW - boron-10

KW - multi-grid detector

KW - helium-3

KW - time resolution

KW - TEST BEAMLINE

KW - BER II

KW - CHOPPER

U2 - 10.1088/1361-6501/abc63e

DO - 10.1088/1361-6501/abc63e

M3 - Journal article

VL - 32

JO - Measurement Science and Technology

JF - Measurement Science and Technology

SN - 0957-0233

IS - 3

M1 - 035903

ER -