Development of a low-background neutron detector array

Y. T. Li; W. P. Lin; B. Gao; H. Chen; H. Huang; Y. Huang; T. Y. Jiao; K. A. Li; X. D. Tang; X. Y. Wang; X. Fang; H. X. Huang; J. Ren; L. H. Ru; X. C. Ruan; N. T. Zhang; Z. C. Zhang

arXiv · 2111.12552

Development of a low-background neutron detector array

Y. T. Li·W. P. Lin·B. Gao·H. Chen·H. Huang·Y. Huang·T. Y. Jiao·K. A. Li·X. D. Tang·X. Y. Wang·X. Fang·H. X. Huang·J. Ren·L. H. Ru·X. C. Ruan·N. T. Zhang·Z. C. Zhang

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Abstract

A low-background neutron detector array was developed to measure the cross section of the $^{13}$C($\alpha$,n)$^{16}$O reaction, which is the neutron source for the $s$-process in AGB stars, in the Gamow window ($E_{c.m.}$ = 190 $\pm$ 40 keV) at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL). The detector array consists of 24 $^{3}$He proportional counters embedded in a polyethylene cube. Due to the deep underground location and a borated polyethylene shield around the detector array, a low background of 4.5(2)/hour was achieved. The $^{51}$V(p, n)$^{51}$Cr reaction was used to determine the neutron detection efficiency of the array for neutrons with energy $E_n$ $<$ 1 MeV. Geant4 simulations, which were shown to well reproduce experimental results, were used to extrapolate the detection efficiency to higher energies for neutrons emitted in the $^{13}$C($\alpha$,n) $^{16}$O reaction. The theoretical angular distributions of the $^{13}$C($\alpha$,n)$^{16}$O reaction were shown to be important in estimating the uncertainties of the detection efficiency.

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Y. T. Li, W. P. Lin, B. Gao, H. Chen, H. Huang, Y. Huang, T. Y. Jiao, K. A. Li, X. D. Tang, X. Y. Wang, X. Fang, H. X. Huang, J. Ren, L. H. Ru, X. C. Ruan, N. T. Zhang, Z. C. Zhang. 2021-11-20. Development of a low-background neutron detector array. https://arxiv.org/abs/2111.12552

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