Neutron Light Output Functions Measured for EJ309 Liquid Scintillation Detectors

Year
2012
Author(s)
S. A. Pozzi - Department of Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences
A. Enqvist - Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Michigan
T. Massey - Ohio University
Christopher C. Lawrence - University of Michigan
Abstract
Ohio University has a tandem Van De Graaff generator with a long shielded ?ight path enabling very accurate measurements of neutrons of various energies depending on the accelerator target. For the current work a 7.44 MeV deuteron beam was used on a 27 Al target generating a wide range of neutron energies from a few hundred keV to 10+ MeV. EJ309 is a liquid scintillator substance which is very suitable for radiation detection with good pulse shape discrimination and nonhazardous properties. The detectors were investigated for the purpose of detailing the light output function. The impact of variations in the light output function on the pulse height distribution obtained by simulations using MCNPX-PoliMi is signi?cant. Even for seemingly very small corrections especially at the low energy range the dependence on transferred energy converted into light creates large variations. It is seen that the dependence on detector size is non-negligible even when photo-multiplier tubes, detector material and other detector characteristics are close to identical.