Material optimization in dual particle detectors by comparing advanced scintillating materials using two Monte Carlo codes

Abstract

A new generation of scintillating materials have been recently developed in the radiation-imaging field offering very promising dual particle detection abilities. Here, four different scintillating materials (Cs2LiYCl6:Ce (CLYC), 95% 6 Li enriched Cs2LiYCl6:Ce (CLYC-6), natural Li-glass scintillator (GS10) and liquid scintillator EJ-309) have been characterized for their abilities to attenuate thermal neutrons, fast neutrons and gamma-rays. Recent studies regarding these materials overlook these fundamental characteristics, which can directly affect the design process of advanced imaging systems such as Compton cameras and dual particle imaging systems. The response of each featured material to these three types of radiation fields was simulated with two different Monte Carlo codes, MCNP6 and Geant4. The results indicated that among these four materials, natural Li-glass scintillator (GS10) has the highest thermal neutron detection efficiency and the highest elastic scattering efficiencies. However, the attenuation of fast neutrons was found to be the most severe in EJ-309 liquid scintillator. When gamma-rays are considered, it was found that the mass attenuation coefficient of CLYC and CLYC-6 is the highest of the four materials considered when energies lower than 1 MeV are incident. It is intended that this work will lead to the design and the build of an advanced prototype three stage Compton Camera which will be sensitive to both neutrons and Gamma rays.

State-of-the-Art Mobile Radiation Detection Systems for Different Scenarios

“…Al Hamrashdi et al [ 221 ] recently developed a portable dual-particle imager for the combined detection and localization of gamma-rays, thermal, and fast neutron sources for applications, such as nuclear materials assay and nuclear non-proliferation. The design and materials optimization were reported in References [ 222 , 223 ], which led to a three-layer configuration composed by the scintillating materials: GS10 lithium glass, EJ-204 plastic scintillator, and CsI(Tl) inorganic scintillator. Despite the promising results (using a scan time of 60 s), future work is still needed to improve the discrimination between the neutron and gamma pulses.…”

Neutron/gamma pulse discrimination analysis of GS10 lithium glass and EJ-204 plastic scintillators

“…In terms of neutron detection abilities, the GS10 detector possesses a thermal neutron capture efficiency of 90% at a 20 mm thickness. In addition, GS10 possesses distinctively higher fast neutron backscattering and forward scattering abilities compared to other scintillation detectors including CLYC from the elpasolite scintillators family and EJ-309 from the liquid scintillator category [25]. Moreover, being a glassbased scintillator, GS10 boasts enhanced durability in harsh radiation environments.…”

Passive Gamma-Ray and Neutron Imaging Systems for National Security and Nuclear Non-Proliferation in Controlled and Uncontrolled Detection Areas: Review of Past and Current Status

“…Materials sensitive to both gamma-ray and neutron have been investigated for their dual detection abilities since the 1950s [159,160]. Examples of the list of detection materials range from inorganic scintillators [161,162,163], semiconductor detectors [164,165,166], glass organic scintillators [167], some classes of elpasolite scintillators [168,169], some classes of liquid scintillators and plastic scintillators [170,171,172,173,174]. The common feature between these detection materials is their superior ability to enable the distinguishing of gamma-ray signals from neutron signals by methods such as pulse shape discrimination and pulse height discrimination [133,134,170,175].…”