89 research outputs found
Suppression of intrinsic neutron background in the Multi-Grid detector
One of the key requirements for neutron scattering instruments is the
Signal-to-Background ratio (SBR). This is as well a design driving requirement
for many instruments at the European Spallation Source (ESS), which aspires to
be the brightest neutron source of the world. The SBR can be effectively
improved with background reduction. The Multi-Grid, a large-area thermal
neutron detector with a solid boron carbide converter, is a novel solution for
chopper spectrometers. This detector will be installed for the three
prospective chopper spectrometers at the ESS. As the Multi-Grid detector is a
large area detector with a complex structure, its intrinsic background and its
suppression via advanced shielding design should be investigated in its
complexity, as it cannot be naively calculated. The intrinsic scattered neutron
background and its effect on the SBR is determined via a detailed Monte Carlo
simulation for the Multi-Grid detector module, designed for the CSPEC
instrument at the ESS. The impact of the detector vessel and the neutron
entrance window on scattering is determined, revealing the importance of an
optimised internal detector shielding. The background-reducing capacity of
common shielding geometries, like side-shielding and end-shielding is
determined by using perfect absorber as shielding material, and common
shielding materials, like BC and Cd are also tested. On the basis of the
comparison of the effectiveness of the different shielding topologies and
materials, recommendations are given for a combined shielding of the Multi-Grid
detector module, optimised for increased SBR.Comment: 26 pages, 18 figures, revise
Study of a high spatial resolution 10B-based thermal neutron detector for application in neutron reflectometry: the Multi-Blade prototype
Although for large area detectors it is crucial to find an alternative to
detect thermal neutrons because of the 3He shortage, this is not the case for
small area detectors. Neutron scattering science is still growing its
instruments' power and the neutron flux a detector must tolerate is increasing.
For small area detectors the main effort is to expand the detectors'
performances. At Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) we developed the Multi-Blade
detector which wants to increase the spatial resolution of 3He-based detectors
for high flux applications. We developed a high spatial resolution prototype
suitable for neutron reflectometry instruments. It exploits solid 10B-films
employed in a proportional gas chamber. Two prototypes have been constructed at
ILL and the results obtained on our monochromatic test beam line are presented
here
Some Restrictions Abroad Affecting Corporations
A neutron detector concept based on solid layers of boron carbide enriched in 1 B has been in development for the last few years as an alternative for He-3 by collaboration between the ILL, ESS and Linkoping University. This Multi-Grid detector uses layers of aluminum substrates coated with (B4C)-B-10 on both sides that are traversed by the incoming neutrons. Detection is achieved using a gas counter readout principle. By segmenting the substrate and using multiple anode wires, the detector is made inherently position sensitive. This development is aimed primarily at neutron scattering instruments with large detector areas, such as time-of-flight chopper spectrometers. The most recent prototype has been built to be interchangeable with the He-3 detectors of IN6 at ILL. The 1 B detector has an active area of 32 x 48 cm(2). It was installed at the IN6 instrument and operated for several weeks, collecting data in parallel with the regularly scheduled experiments, thus providing the first side-by-side comparison with the conventional He-3 detectors. Results include an efficiency comparison, assessment of the in-detector scattering contribution, sensitivity to gamma-rays and the signal-to-noise ratio in time-of-flight spectra. The good expected performance has been confirmed with the exception of an unexpected background count rate. This has been identified as natural alpha activity in aluminum. New convertor substrates are under study to eliminate this source of background
Spatial and temporal variability in MLT turbulence inferred from in situ and ground-based observations during the WADIS-1 sounding rocket campaign
In summer 2013 the WADIS-1 sounding rocket campaign was conducted at the Andoya Space Center (ACS) in northern Norway (69 degrees N, 16 degrees E). Among other things, it addressed the question of the variability in mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) turbulence, both in time and space. A unique feature of the WADIS project was multi-point turbulence sounding applying different measurement techniques including rocket-borne ionization gauges, VHF MAARSY radar, and VHF EISCAT radar near Tromso. This allowed for horizontal variability to be observed in the turbulence field in the MLT at scales from a few to 100 km. We found that the turbulence dissipation rate, epsilon varied in space in a wavelike manner both horizontally and in the vertical direction. This wavelike modulation reveals the same vertical wavelengths as those seen in gravity waves. We also found that the vertical mean value of radar observations of epsilon agrees reasonably with rocket-borne measurements. In this way defined value reveals clear tidal modulation and results in variation by up to 2 orders of magnitude with periods of 24 h. The value also shows 12 h and shorter (1 to a few hours) modulations resulting in one decade of variation in magnitude. The 24 h modulation appeared to be in phase with tidal change of horizontal wind observed by SAURA-MF radar. Such wavelike and, in particular, tidal modulation of the turbulence dissipation field in the MLT region inferred from our analysis is a new finding of this work
Core-coupled states and split proton-neutron quasi-particle multiplets in 122-126Ag
Neutron-rich silver isotopes were populated in the fragmentation of a 136Xe
beam and the relativistic fission of 238U. The fragments were mass analyzed
with the GSI Fragment separator and subsequently implanted into a passive
stopper. Isomeric transitions were detected by 105 HPGe detectors. Eight
isomeric states were observed in 122-126Ag nuclei. The level schemes of
122,123,125Ag were revised and extended with isomeric transitions being
observed for the first time. The excited states in the odd-mass silver isotopes
are interpreted as core-coupled states. The isomeric states in the even-mass
silver isotopes are discussed in the framework of the proton-neutron split
multiplets. The results of shell-model calculations, performed for the most
neutron-rich silver nuclei are compared to the experimental data
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Simultaneous in situ measurements of small-scale structures in neutral, plasma, and atomic oxygen densities during the WADIS sounding rocket project
In this paper we present an overview of measurements conducted during the WADIS-2 rocket campaign. We investigate the effect of small-scale processes like gravity waves and turbulence on the distribution of atomic oxygen and other species in the mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT) region. Our analysis suggests that density fluctuations of atomic oxygen are coupled to fluctuations of other constituents, i.e., plasma and neutrals. Our measurements show that all measured quantities, including winds, densities, and temperatures, reveal signatures of both waves and turbulence. We show observations of gravity wave saturation and breakdown together with simultaneous measurements of generated turbulence. Atomic oxygen inside turbulence layers shows two different spectral behaviors, which might imply a change in its diffusion properties. © 2019 Author(s)
Time- and energy-resolved effects in the boron-10 based Multi-Grid and helium-3 based thermal neutron detectors
The boron-10 based Multi-Grid detector is being developed as an alternative
to helium-3 based neutron detectors. At the European Spallation Source, the
detector will be used for time-of-flight neutron spectroscopy at cold to
thermal neutron energies. The objective of this work is to investigate fine
time- and energy-resolved effects of the Multi-Grid detector, down to a few
eV, while comparing it to the performance of a typical helium-3 tube.
Furthermore, it is to characterize differences between the detector
technologies in terms of internal scattering, as well as the time
reconstruction of ~ s short neutron pulses. The data were taken at the
Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, where the Multi-Grid detector and a helium-3 tube
were installed at the ESS test beamline, V20. Using a Fermi-chopper, the
neutron beam of the reactor was chopped into a few tens of s wide pulses
before reaching the detector, located a few tens of cm downstream. The data of
the measurements show an agreement between the derived and calculated neutron
detection efficiency curve. The data also provide fine details on the effect of
internal scattering, and how it can be reduced. For the first time, the chopper
resolution was comparable to the timing resolution of the Multi-Grid detector.
This allowed a detailed study of time- and energy resolved effects, as well as
a comparison with a typical helium-3 tube.Comment: 37 pages, 21 figure
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