1. Performance of the Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE)
- Author
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M. Matos, J. C. Blackmon, David Walter, F. Raiola, R. Ikeyama, J. Allen, S. V. Paulauskas, R. Grzywacz, D. W. Bardayan, N. T. Brewer, Catalin Matei, S. V. Ilyushkin, I. Spassova, Z.J. Bergstrom, W. A. Peters, E. Merino, R. L. Kozub, F. Sarazin, M. E. Howard, B. Manning, Carl R. Brune, M. Madurga, S. Taylor, C.S. Reingold, Patrick O'Malley, J.M. Allen, P. Copp, Jolie Cizewski, and T. N. Massey
- Subjects
Physics ,Nuclear and High Energy Physics ,010308 nuclear & particles physics ,business.industry ,Detector ,Modular design ,01 natural sciences ,Neutron temperature ,Neutron spectroscopy ,Data acquisition ,0103 physical sciences ,Neutron detection ,Optoelectronics ,Neutron ,Electronics ,Nuclear Experiment ,010306 general physics ,business ,Instrumentation - Abstract
The Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE) is a new, highly efficient plastic-scintillator array constructed for decay and transfer reaction experimental setups that require neutron detection. The versatile and modular design allows for customizable experimental setups including beta-delayed neutron spectroscopy and (d,n) transfer reactions in normal and inverse kinematics. The neutron energy and prompt-photon discrimination is determined through the time of flight technique. Fully digital data acquisition electronics and integrated triggering logic enables some VANDLE modules to achieve an intrinsic efficiency over 70% for 300-keV neutrons, measured through two different methods. A custom Geant4 simulation models aspects of the detector array and the experimental setups to determine efficiency and detector response. A low detection threshold, due to the trigger logic and digitizing data acquisition, allowed us to measure the light-yield response curve from elastically scattered carbon nuclei inside the scintillating plastic from incident neutrons with kinetic energies below 2 MeV.
- Published
- 2016
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