For detecting neutrons, 3-He tubes provide sensitivity and a unique capability for detecting and discriminating neutron signals from background gamma-ray signals. A solid-state scintillation-based detector provides an alternative to 3-He for neutron detection. A real-time, portable, and low cost thermal neutron detector has been constructed from a ⁶Li-enriched Cs₂LiYCl₆:Ce (CLYC) scintillator crystal coupled with a CMOS solid-state photomultiplier (SSPM). These components are fully integrated with a miniaturized multi-channel analyzer (MCA) unit for calculation and readout of the counts and count rates. CLYC crystals and several other elpasolites including Cs₂LiLaCl₆:Ce (CLLC) and Cs₂LiLaBr₆:Ce (CLLB) have been considered for their unique properties in detecting neutrons and discriminating gamma ray events along with providing excellent energy resolution comparable to NaI(Tl) scintillators. CLYC's slower rise and decay time for neutrons (70ns and 900ns respectively) relative to a faster rise and decay time for gamma ray events (6ns and 55ns respectively) allows for pulse shape discrimination in mixed radiation fields. Light emissions from CLYC crystals are detected using an array of avalanche photodiodes referred to as solid-state photomultipliers. SSPMs are binary photon counting devices where the number of pixels activated is directly proportional to the light output of the CLYC scintillator which is proportional to the energy deposited from the radiation field. SSPMs can be fabricated using standard CMOS processes and inherently contain the low noise performance associated with ordinary photomultiplier tubes (PMT) while providing a light and compact solution for portable neutron detectors.

Date Published: 16 March 2011
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 7961, Medical Imaging 2011: Physics of Medical Imaging, 79610U (16 March 2011); doi: 10.1117/12.878225

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7961:
Medical Imaging 2011: Physics of Medical Imaging
Norbert J. Pelc; Ehsan Samei; Robert M. Nishikawa, Editor(s)