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Chin. Phys. B, 2025, Vol. 34(6): 066106    DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/adcb1c
INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT Prev   Next  

A large-area scintillation neutron detector based on WLSF and SiPM readout

Xiao-Hu Wang(王小胡)1,†, Yang-Tu Lu(卢扬图)1, Bin Tang(唐彬)2,3,‡, Xiu-Ku Wang(王修库)2,3, Shao-Jia Chen(陈少佳)2,3, Ze-Ren Li(李泽仁)1, and Zhi-Jia Sun(孙志嘉)2,3
1 Center for Intense Laser Application Technology, and College of Engineering Physics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China;
2 Spallation Neutron Source Science Center, Dongguan 523803, China;
3 Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Abstract  Position-sensitive neutron detectors play an important role in neutron scattering studies. Detectors based on 6LiF/ZnS (Ag) scintillator and wave-shifting fiber have the advantages of high neutron detection efficiency, high position resolution, and large-area splicing, and can well meet the requirement of large area neutron detection for neutron diffractometers. An engineering detector prototype based on a 6LiF/ZnS (Ag) scintillation screen and SiPM array readout was fabricated for the General Purpose Powder Diffractometer of China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS). The detector has an active area of 196 mm×444 mm, with a pixel size of 4 mm×4 mm. The key performances of the detector prototype were tested at the BL20 neutron beam line of CSNS. The test results show that the neutron detection efficiency of the detector was 32% and 42% at wavelengths of 1.4 Å and 2.8 Å, respectively. An interpolated neutron detection efficiency of 40.2% at a wavelength of 2 Å was obtained. The tested neutron efficiency non-uniformity of the detector was 10.2%, which is less than one-half that of the current general purpose powder diffractometer scintillator neutron detectors at CSNS. This work achieves, for the first time, an efficiency uniformity of <11 in large-area mosaic neutron detectors, alongside significant advancements in electromagnetic interference immunity and cost-effectiveness.
Keywords:  scintillation neutron detector      silicon photomultiplier      position sensitive neutron detector  
Received:  30 December 2024      Revised:  09 April 2025      Accepted manuscript online:  10 April 2025
PACS:  61.05.F- (Neutron diffraction and scattering)  
  28.20.Cz (Neutron scattering)  
  29.40.-n (Radiation detectors)  
  29.40.Mc (Scintillation detectors)  
Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12275181), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Grant No. 2022B1515120071), Promotion Project of Scientific Research Capability of Key Construction Disciplines in Guangdong Province (Grant No. 2022ZDJS118), and Natural Science Foundation of Top Talent SZTU (Grant No. GDRC202205).
Corresponding Authors:  Xiao-Hu Wang, Bin Tang     E-mail:  wangxiaohu@sztu.edu.cn;tangb@ihep.ac.cn

Cite this article: 

Xiao-Hu Wang(王小胡), Yang-Tu Lu(卢扬图), Bin Tang(唐彬), Xiu-Ku Wang(王修库), Shao-Jia Chen(陈少佳), Ze-Ren Li(李泽仁), and Zhi-Jia Sun(孙志嘉) A large-area scintillation neutron detector based on WLSF and SiPM readout 2025 Chin. Phys. B 34 066106

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