Development of a new optical-based quasi-digital particle discrimination technique using inorganic scintillators. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zorloni, G.; Cremonesi, L.; Cova, F.; Vedda, A.; Caresana, M.
• Is Part Of: Radiation measurements. Volume 135(2020:Apr.)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Particle discrimination -- Neutron detection -- Inorganic scintillator phoswich; Nuclear emulsions -- Periodicals; Particle tracks (Nuclear physics) -- Periodicals; Thermoluminescence -- Periodicals; Cosmic rays -- Periodicals; Radiation -- Measurement -- Periodicals; Radiometry -- Periodicals; Radiation Monitoring -- Periodicals; Émulsions nucléaires -- Périodiques; Particules (Physique nucléaire) -- Traces -- Périodiques; Thermoluminescence -- Périodiques; Rayonnement cosmique -- Périodiques; Radiométrie -- Périodiques; 539.77
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106370
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-4487

Abstract

Abstract: In this study, we propose an original approach for particle discrimination in a mixed radiation field using scintillators. The method relies on the possibility to identify the point of interaction in a phoswich detector from the emission spectra of the produced scintillation light, using optical filters as passive selectors. As a proof of concept, we developed a compact prototype thermal neutron active dosimeter for mixed neutron/gamma fields. The detector was characterized in terms of energy calibration, neutron efficiency and gamma rejection. The obtained results show that more than the 99% of counts due to gamma rays are rejected if the color discrimination is employed, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed approach to be used in radiation detection.