Using the Doppler broadened γ line of the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction for thermal neutron detection

Y. Ben-Galim; U. Wengrowicz; R. Moreh; I. Orion; A. Raveh

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.11.143

Using the Doppler broadened γ line of the ¹⁰B(n,αγ)⁷Li reaction for thermal neutron detection

Y. Ben-Galim, U. Wengrowicz, R. Moreh, I. Orion, A. Raveh

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

When a thermal neutron is absorbed by ¹⁰B in the ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li reaction, there is a chance of 94% that a 478 keV photon be emitted by an excited ⁷Li nucleus. This reaction is exothermic with a Q-value of 2.31 MeV and the nuclei are emitted with kinetic energies of E(α)=1.47 MeV and E(⁷Li∗)=0.84 MeV. This implies that the 478 keV γ line is emitted by a moving ⁷Li nucleus and hence is expected to be Doppler broadened. In the present work we suggest to use this broadening of the γ line as a fingerprint for the detection of thermal neutrons using a high resolution gamma spectrometer. We thus developed a Monte Carlo program using a MATLAB code based on a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector coupled with a Boron Carbide (B₄C) sheet to calculate the γ line broadening. Our simulation shows that the FWHM width of the resulting γ line is 12.6 keV, in good agreement with our measurement. Hence the broadened γ line emitted by the ¹⁰B(n,αγ)⁷Li reaction and detected by a HPGe detector shows that this method is an effective tool for neutron detection while maintaining good gamma discrimination.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	140-143
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Volume	810
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.11.143
State	Published - 21 Feb 2016

Keywords

BC
Boron carbide
Doppler broadening
HPGe
Neutron detection

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Instrumentation

Access to Document

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.11.143

Cite this

@article{0ed6716e7ea542afb757c3cc60773516,

title = "Using the Doppler broadened γ line of the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction for thermal neutron detection",

abstract = "When a thermal neutron is absorbed by 10B in the 10B(n,α)7Li reaction, there is a chance of 94% that a 478 keV photon be emitted by an excited 7Li nucleus. This reaction is exothermic with a Q-value of 2.31 MeV and the nuclei are emitted with kinetic energies of E(α)=1.47 MeV and E(7Li∗)=0.84 MeV. This implies that the 478 keV γ line is emitted by a moving 7Li nucleus and hence is expected to be Doppler broadened. In the present work we suggest to use this broadening of the γ line as a fingerprint for the detection of thermal neutrons using a high resolution gamma spectrometer. We thus developed a Monte Carlo program using a MATLAB code based on a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector coupled with a Boron Carbide (B4C) sheet to calculate the γ line broadening. Our simulation shows that the FWHM width of the resulting γ line is 12.6 keV, in good agreement with our measurement. Hence the broadened γ line emitted by the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction and detected by a HPGe detector shows that this method is an effective tool for neutron detection while maintaining good gamma discrimination.",

keywords = "BC, Boron carbide, Doppler broadening, HPGe, Neutron detection",

author = "Y. Ben-Galim and U. Wengrowicz and R. Moreh and I. Orion and A. Raveh",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2016",

month = feb,

day = "21",

doi = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.11.143",

language = "American English",

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Using the Doppler broadened γ line of the ¹⁰B(n,αγ)⁷Li reaction for thermal neutron detection. / Ben-Galim, Y.; Wengrowicz, U.; Moreh, R. et al.
In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 810, 21.02.2016, p. 140-143.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Using the Doppler broadened γ line of the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction for thermal neutron detection

AU - Ben-Galim, Y.

AU - Wengrowicz, U.

AU - Moreh, R.

AU - Orion, I.

AU - Raveh, A.

PY - 2016/2/21

Y1 - 2016/2/21

N2 - When a thermal neutron is absorbed by 10B in the 10B(n,α)7Li reaction, there is a chance of 94% that a 478 keV photon be emitted by an excited 7Li nucleus. This reaction is exothermic with a Q-value of 2.31 MeV and the nuclei are emitted with kinetic energies of E(α)=1.47 MeV and E(7Li∗)=0.84 MeV. This implies that the 478 keV γ line is emitted by a moving 7Li nucleus and hence is expected to be Doppler broadened. In the present work we suggest to use this broadening of the γ line as a fingerprint for the detection of thermal neutrons using a high resolution gamma spectrometer. We thus developed a Monte Carlo program using a MATLAB code based on a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector coupled with a Boron Carbide (B4C) sheet to calculate the γ line broadening. Our simulation shows that the FWHM width of the resulting γ line is 12.6 keV, in good agreement with our measurement. Hence the broadened γ line emitted by the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction and detected by a HPGe detector shows that this method is an effective tool for neutron detection while maintaining good gamma discrimination.

AB - When a thermal neutron is absorbed by 10B in the 10B(n,α)7Li reaction, there is a chance of 94% that a 478 keV photon be emitted by an excited 7Li nucleus. This reaction is exothermic with a Q-value of 2.31 MeV and the nuclei are emitted with kinetic energies of E(α)=1.47 MeV and E(7Li∗)=0.84 MeV. This implies that the 478 keV γ line is emitted by a moving 7Li nucleus and hence is expected to be Doppler broadened. In the present work we suggest to use this broadening of the γ line as a fingerprint for the detection of thermal neutrons using a high resolution gamma spectrometer. We thus developed a Monte Carlo program using a MATLAB code based on a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector coupled with a Boron Carbide (B4C) sheet to calculate the γ line broadening. Our simulation shows that the FWHM width of the resulting γ line is 12.6 keV, in good agreement with our measurement. Hence the broadened γ line emitted by the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction and detected by a HPGe detector shows that this method is an effective tool for neutron detection while maintaining good gamma discrimination.

KW - BC

KW - Boron carbide

KW - Doppler broadening

KW - HPGe

KW - Neutron detection

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