Advancements in Neutron Detection for Science and Security

1. Neutron detection DEMON present time : DEMON, TONNERRE, EDEN, HENDES, LAND, ORION, … neutron wall  good neutron detection arrays but - often compromise (intrinsic efficiency, energy range, angular resolution,...) - become old - incompatible with safety rules

2. (modular neutron detector) DétecteurModulaire deNeutrons  + 13 years old 1st experiment: 1994  VXI electronics: expensive and obsolete  organic liquid component (NE213): dangerous  very good performances

3.  n- discrimination: - pulse shape analysis: Qtot-Qlent - separation with time of flight DétecteurModulaire deNeutrons ~100 cells: liquid scintillators NE213 L=20cm, =16 cm  n- discrimination: - pulse shape analysis : Qtot-Qlent - separation with time of flight  E  t (t~1.2 ns)  SYREP: proton rejection system 45 thin scintillators (3 mm) n < 0.5%  ,  scintillator position  cross-talk < 1%  very high intrinsic efficiency - electronics: VXI standard - independent acquisition system  modular detector

4. DétecteurModulaire deNeutrons

6. DétecteurModulaire deNeutrons

7.  + 10 years old 1st experiment: 1994  VXI electronics: expensive and obsolete DétecteurModulaire deNeutrons  organic liquid component (NE213): dangerous  very good performances … and very resistant ! CYCLONE, Louvain-la-neuve GANIL, Caen SARA, Grenoble VIVITRON, Strasbourg U400, JINR, Dubna TANDEM, Catane K500, Texas A&M, College Station SATURNE, Saclay TSL, Uppsala KVI, Groningen JYFL, Jyväskylä … and widely used !  many domains investigated in physics: Dynamics of dissipative reactions at intermediate energies Capture dynamics at low energy in the heavy and superheavy mass region Structure of light neutron rich nuclei Transmutation of nuclear waste ….

8. - existing material used for the neutron detection: - liquids:NE213dangerous cannot be used under vacuum - cristals:anthracen - stilbenvery expensive response = function of incident angle difficult to manufacture big volumes - polymers:plasticsno n- discrimination - no new development since 1970’s ! - origin of the discrimination (fluorescence) not well understood  projects …?

9. Neutromania to SATAN from DEMON  2 steps: 1-development of a new component - solid - performances ≥ DEMON(n- discrimination, …)  ANR "Neutromania" (French Ministry of Research) start of project: 05.12.05 duration 24 months collaboration: IPHC-ISMRA-CEA physicists + chemists  answer: end 2007 … 2- construction a new detector(s) - solid or liquid - digitised electronics (~ok)  SATAN….?

10. Interferometry (n,n), (p,p),(n,p) 40Ar + 58Ni, 78 A.MeV J. Pluta, F. Hanappe et al, GANIL, 1998 S.. A.. T.. A.. Neutrons Who is interested ? - DEMON collaboration DEMON = belgian-french detector collaboration: - ULB Brussels - UCL Louvain-la-neuve - LPC Caen - IPHC Strasbourg begin, 1994: many people 2007: very few people… - AZ4 collaboration: SATAN (> 1000 cells)  neutrons  E of LCP - … ?

11. Neutromania(NT05-2_43664 /ANR-05-BLAN-0190-01) - title:Neutron detection for science, industry, security and space - grant:190 k€ - duration:24 months(dec. 2005-dec. 2007) • - partners:-IPHC-Strasbourg: -L.Stuttgé,O.Dorvaux,J.Devin(IPHC: nucl. phys.) • -J.M.Jung, R.Barillon(IPHC: nucl. chem.) • - L.Douce (IPCMS: chem.) • -E.Bouajila(PD: chem.) • -ISMRA-Caen: -M.Marqués,B.Tamain(LPC: nucl. phys.) • - T.N.Pham, P.J.Madec(LCMT: chem.) • -T. Dalet (PD: chem.) • - CEA-Saclay: -S.Normand,P.Delacour,B.Bazin(Dép. des Techn. du Capt. et du Signal: phys.) • -V.Simic, P.Raimond(Laboratoire Cellules et Composants: chem.) • - M.Hamel (PD: chem.) • - consulting persons: - F.Hanappe (nucl. phys. + chem.) (ULB, Brussels) • - F.Tondeur (appl. of detection) (ISIB, Brussels)

12. Neutromania (NT05-2_43664 /ANR-05-BLAN-0190-01) • job description:develop a new scintillating material • 1) - solid • - discriminating n- • - fast (fast component ~ 1 ns) • - good quantum efficiency • - transparent to its own emitting light • 2) - usable under vacuum • - easy to polish • - cheep  synthesis of polymers presenting numerous multiple delocated bonds able to excite triplet states which allow the n- discrimination  chemical characterisation  composition, nature, length of the chain, molecular weight, boiling point, emission and absorption spectra , …  physical characterisation (Cf source, 4MV acc., …)  discrimination, resolution, efficiency,…

13. new component NE213 NE213 new component Qslow AmBe source Qslow AmBe source thickness: ~5 mm NE213 NE213 thickness: ~5 mm thickness: 5 cm DEMON DEMON thickness: 5 cm thickness: 20 cm thickness: 20 cm Qtot Qtot First results  we need ~1 year more to finalize

14. What about electronics ?  What do we need to measure ?  pulse shape discrimination n-   total and slow/fast charge  energy  time of flight  future detector(s)  digitised electronics • electronics group of Strasbourg  TNT and TNT2 cards dedicated to  spectroscopy •  development dedicated to neutrons • electronics group of Caen  development of digitised electronics  n-discrimination: has been tested in Caen and in Strasbourg  no major problem  time of flight: some development necessary