Руководитель: Caбухи Нуруев
Рабочий телефон: +7 (496) 216-36-83
Рабочий email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Leader: Daniyar Berikov
Work phone number: +7 (496) 216-36-83
Work E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Scientific problem:
Neutron detection is of great importance in nuclear reactor monitoring, homeland security, non-proliferation, medical physics and radiation protection. Unlike charged particles or gamma rays, neutrons do not ionize directly, making their detection more complex. Traditional neutron detectors, such as ³He-based proportional counters or scintillators coupled with photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), offer good sensitivity but come with limitations—³He is expensive and scarce and PMTs are bulky, fragile and require a high voltage. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are promising alternatives to PMTs in radiation detection systems. These solid-state photodetectors are compact, cost-effective, operate at low voltages and are insensitive to magnetic fields. When paired with suitable scintillators like EJ-276, stilbene, or LiF:ZnS, they can be used to detect neutrons using indirect processes, in which neutron interactions produce scintillation light that can be captured by SiPMs. However, a key challenge in neutron detection is neutron/gamma discrimination, as gamma radiation is observed in mixed fields. Efficient pulse shape discrimination (PSD) techniques should be implemented to distinguish between neutron and gamma events, based on differences in scintillation decay profiles. The fast response and high temporal resolution of SiPMs make them suitable for such techniques, however, achieving the appropriate accuracy requires careful signal analysis and digital data processing. This project focuses on developing and characterizing a SiPM-based neutron detector, optimized for neutron/gamma separation, energy response and timing responses. The operation of the detector will be studied under different radiation conditions, using calibration sources and digital signal analysis.
Objective:
To develop and to characterize a neutron detector based on silicon photomultipliers coupled with scintillators, focusing on neutron/gamma discrimination with pulse shape analysis and optimizing the detector's energy and timing response for practical applications in mixed radiation fields.
Tasks:
1. Investigation of principles of neutron detection and neutron/gamma discrimination.
2. Investigation of SiPM technology and its advantages for radiation detection.
3. Selecting an appropriate scintillator for neutron detection (e.g., EJ-276, stilbene, or LiF:ZnS).
4. Design and assembly of a detector prototype with SiPM and scintillator.
5. Development or application of pulse shape discrimination (PSD) techniques for neutron/gamma separation.
6. Analysis of neutron/gamma discrimination performance and signal processing techniques.
7. Preparation and submission of results for publication and reports.
Research facilities:
The paper will be completed under the project “Investigations of neutron nuclear interactions and properties of the neutron”. Experiments with radiation sources will be carried out at the beamline 2 of the IREN facility and at the beamline 1 of the IBR-2 reactor.