Optimization of pulse processing parameters for digital neutron-gamma discrimination.

In this study, a digital neutron-gamma discrimination (DNGD) has been performed based on the pulse-shape discrimination on the anode pulse of a 2″ by 2″ right cylinder BC501A liquid scintillator with a fast data acquisition card (14-bit resolution, 500 Mega-samples per second (MS/s)) using the charge integral method. Different pulse-processing parameters for the DNGD and their corresponding figure-of-merits (FoMs) have been studied. In addition, the FoM dependencies on different pulse-processing parameters have been determined. A 100 mCi 241Am-Be neutron source has been used for the DNGD and the calibration has been made with a 1.1 mCi 22 Na gamma-ray source. The results show that a more efficient DNGD (with 25 % improved discrimination quality) can be performed on the anode pulse of the BC501A scintillator by optimizing the pulse-processing parameters. • Digital neutron-gamma discrimination (DNGD) was performed with liquid scintillator. • Output pulse of the detector was sampled with 14-bit resolution, 500 MS/s digitizer. • Software DONGE was developed to perform different processions on digitizer data. • Optimum parameters behavior was studied for different DNGD measurement conditions. • Neutron spectrum unfolding with FORIST code confirmed the DNGD quality of DONGE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]