15-19 April 2018
Paradise Point Resort & Spa
America/Los_Angeles timezone

4.52 LaBr3 detectors for DD neutron yield measurements

16 Apr 2018, 20:30
2h 1m
Paradise Point Resort & Spa

Paradise Point Resort & Spa

1404 Vacation Rd, San Diego, CA 92109

Speakers

Ellen Edwards (LLNL) James Mitrani (LLNL) Yuri Podpaly (LLNL) Bruce Freeman (Verus Research) Manuel Alan (Verus Research) Charles Yeamans (LLNL) Andrea Schmidt (LLNL)

Description

A LaBr3 scintillator-based neutron detection system has been tested at several neutron sources for evaluation as a DD neutron yield measurement. DD fusion neutrons (2.45 MeV) undergo (n,n’) reactions in Br-79m in the crystal, which then emits a 208 keV gamma ray that is detected. Because the gamma originates in the crystal, detection efficiency is high. In this work the detector was tested in three facilities: the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and two Dense Plasma Focuses (DPFs). By testing at different facilities, a linear response to yield confirmed the detector is suitable as a yield diagnostic for neutron fluences ranging from 1x10^3 to 1x10^5 n/cm^2. At NIF the response was cross-calibrated to NTOF yields. Later it was tested at a DPF, where it was compared to a He-3 detector. In the linear range of the He-3 detector the LaBr3 was proportional, although by a different constant due to the difference in neutron scattering between the DPF and NIF. A similar experiment was carried out at another DPF with higher yields. A block of Y, which has a higher activation energy threshold, was tested as a proof-of-concept at the high-yield DPF and had encouraging results.

Primary author

Ellen Edwards (LLNL)

Co-authors

James Mitrani (LLNL) Yuri Podpaly (LLNL) Bruce Freeman (Verus Research) Manuel Alan (Verus Research) Charles Yeamans (LLNL) Andrea Schmidt (LLNL)

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