Fast-neutron and gamma-ray imaging with a capillary liquid xenon converter coupled to a gaseous photomultiplier
arXiv:1707.04794 · doi:10.1088/1748-0221/12/09/P09029
Abstract
Gamma-ray and fast-neutron imaging was performed with a novel liquid xenon (LXe) scintillation detector read out by a Gaseous Photomultiplier (GPM). The 100 mm diameter detector prototype comprised a capillary-filled LXe converter/scintillator, coupled to a triple-THGEM imaging-GPM, with its first electrode coated by a CsI UV-photocathode, operated in Ne/5%CH4 cryogenic temperatures. Radiation localization in 2D was derived from scintillation-induced photoelectron avalanches, measured on the GPM's segmented anode. The localization properties of Co-60 gamma-rays and a mixed fast-neutron/gamma-ray field from an AmBe neutron source were derived from irradiation of a Pb edge absorber. Spatial resolutions of 12+/-2 mm and 10+/-2 mm (FWHM) were reached with Co-60 and AmBe sources, respectively. The experimental results are in good agreement with GEANT4 simulations. The calculated ultimate expected resolutions for our application-relevant 4.4 and 15.1 MeV gamma-rays and 1-15 MeV neutrons are 2-4 mm and ~2 mm (FWHM), respectively. These results indicate the potential applicability of the new detector concept to Fast-Neutron Resonance Radiography (FNRR) and Dual-Discrete-Energy Gamma Radiography (DDEGR) of large objects.
arXiv comment27 pages, 17 figures. Submitted to JINST
References in corpus (14)
- A concise review on THGEM detectors
- Thick GEM-like hole multipliers: properties and possible applications
- Advances in Thick GEM-like gaseous electron multipliers. Part I: atmospheric pressure operation
- Advances in Gaseous Photomultipliers
- Enhancement of NEST Capabilities for Simulating Low-Energy Recoils in Liquid Xenon
- Measurement of the refractive index and attenuation length of liquid xenon for its scintillation light
- Investigations of a THGEM-based imaging detector
- First observation of liquid-xenon proportional electroluminescence in THGEM holes
- A Comprehensive Simulation Study of a Liquid-Xe Detector for Contraband Detection
- Time resolution of a Thick Gas Electron Multiplier (THGEM) - based detector
- First results of a large-area cryogenic gaseous photomultiplier coupled to a dual-phase liquid xenon TPC
- Transport Properties of operational gas mixtures used at LHC
- A Dual-Purpose Ion-Accelerator for Nuclear-Reaction-Based Explosives-and SNM-Detection in Massive Cargo
- Quantitative discrimination between oil and water in drilled bore cores via fast-neutron resonance transmission radiography