Speaker
Description
Position sensitive gas filled neutron detectors are crucial tools across many scientific fields, as neutrons are used to probe matter, revealing structures and dynamics inaccessible through other imaging methods. Traditionally, ³He-filled multi-wire chambers have been the standard for neutron detection, but are being replaced by new instruments coated with thick layers of boron, due the need to find a suitable replacement for 3He, now almost exclusively used for security applications. However, these state-of-the-art detectors achieve efficiency at a cost: they sacrifice valuable information generated when a neutron interacts with a boron atom, limiting the data and insights we can extract.
NeuThin [1] breaks from convention by employing sub-micrometer boron layers for neutron conversion. It is a counterintuitive approach that leverages momentum conservation in the neutron capture reaction to deliver superior performances. This innovation enables: unmatched position resolution, full intrinsic gamma-ray suppression, and scalability to large-area gaseous detectors.
In this contribution, we present the latest experimental results, demonstrating NeuThin’s potential for unprecedented position resolution and its ability to operate at count rates exceeding those of the world’s most intense neutron sources.
Acknowledgement: This work was supported by the FCT, Lisbon, under contract 2023.06916.CEECIND/CP2832/CT0023.
[1] N. F. V. Duarte et al., Improving position resolution of neutron detectors with ultra-thin B4C foils, 2022 JINST 17 T03003
| Workshop topics | Detector systems |
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