Browsing by Author "Buhour, J. M."

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    A novel segmented-scintillator antineutrino detector
    Abreu, Y.; Amhis, Y.; Arnold, L.; Ban, G.; Beaumont, W.; Bongrand, M.; Boursette, D.; Buhour, J. M.; Castle, B. C.; Clark, K.; Coupe, B.; Cucoanes, A. S.; Cussans, D.; De Roeck, A.; D'Hondt, J.; Durand, D.; Fallot, M.; Fresneau, S.; Ghys, L.; Giot, L.; Guillon, B.; Guilloux, G.; Ihantola, S.; Janssen, X.; Kalcheva, S.; Kalousis, L. N.; Koonen, E.; Labare, M.; Lehaut, G.; Mermans, J.; Michiels, I.; Moortgat, C.; Newbold, D.; Park, J.; Petridis, K.; Pinera, I. a; Pommery, G.; Popescu, L.; Pronost, G.; Rademacker, J.; Reynolds, A.; Ryckbosch, D.; Ryder, N.; Saunders, D.; Shitov, Yu. A.; Schune, M-H; Scovell, P. R.; Simard, L.; Vacheret, A.; Van Dyck, S.; Van Mulders, P.; van Remortel, N.; Vercaemer, S.; Waldron, A.; Weber, A.; Yermia, F. (2017-04)
    The next generation of very-short-baseline reactor experiments will require compact detectors operating at surface level and close to a nuclear reactor. This paper presents a new detector concept based on a composite solid scintillator technology. The detector target uses cubes of polyvinyltoluene interleaved with (LiF)-Li-6:ZnS(Ag) phosphor screens to detect the products of the inverse beta decay reaction. A multi-tonne detector system built from these individual cells can provide precise localisation of scintillation signals, making efficient use of the detector volume. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that a neutron capture efficiency of over 70% is achievable with a sufficient number of 6LiF: ZnS( Ag) screens per cube and that an appropriate segmentation enables a measurement of the positron energy which is not limited by gamma-ray leakage. First measurements of a single cell indicate that a very good neutron-gamma discrimination and high neutron detection efficiency can be obtained with adequate triggering techniques. The light yield from positron signals has been measured, showing that an energy resolution of 14%/root E(MeV) is achievable with high uniformity. A preliminary neutrino signal analysis has been developed, using selection criteria for pulse shape, energy, time structure and energy spatial distribution and showing that an antineutrino efficiency of 40% can be achieved. It also shows that the fine segmentation of the detector can be used to significantly decrease both correlated and accidental backgrounds.