Neutron detection and applications using a BC454/BGO array

Neutron detection and multiplicity counting has been investigated using a b oron-loaded plastic scintillator/bismuth germanate phoswich detector array. The boron-loaded plastic combines neutron moderation (H) and detection (B- 10) at the molecular level, thereby physically coupling increasing detectio n efficiency and decreasing die-away time with detector volume. Separation of the phoswich response into its plastic scintillator and bismuth germanat e components was accomplished on an event-by-event basis using custom integ rator and timing circuits, enabling a prompt coincidence requirement betwee n the BC454 and BGO to be used to identify neutron captures. In addition, a custom time-tag module was used to provide a time for each detector event. Time-correlation analysis was subsequently performed on the filtered event stream to obtain shift-register-type singles and doubles count rates. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.