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arXiv · 1812.11267

Characterization of Gadolinium-loaded Plastic Scintillator for Use as a Neutron Veto

D. M. Poehlmann·D. Barker·H. Chagani·P. Cushman·G. Heuermann·A. Medved·H. E. Rogers·R. Schmitz
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Abstract

Scintillator doped with a high neutron-capture cross-section material can be used to detect neutrons via their resulting gamma rays. Examples of such detectors using liquid scintillator have been successfully used in high-energy physics experiments. However, a liquid scintillator can leak and is not as amenable to modular or complex shapes as a solid scintillator. Polystyrene-based scintillators from a variety of gadolinium compounds with varying concentrations were polymerized in our laboratory. The light output, emission spectra, and attenuation length of our samples were measured and light collection strategies using a wavelength shifting (WLS) fiber were evaluated. The measured optical parameters were used to tune a Geant4-based optical Monte Carlo, enabling the trapping efficiency to be calculated. This technology was also evaluated as a possible neutron veto for the direct detection dark matter experiment, Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (SuperCDMS).

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D. M. Poehlmann, D. Barker, H. Chagani, P. Cushman, G. Heuermann, A. Medved, H. E. Rogers, R. Schmitz. 2018-12-29. Characterization of Gadolinium-loaded Plastic Scintillator for Use as a Neutron Veto. https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.11267

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