Imaging neutron capture cross sections: i-TED proof-of-concept and future prospects based on Machine-Learning techniques
V. Babiano-Suárez, J. Lerendegui-Marco, J. Balibrea-Correa, L. Caballero, D. Calvo, I. Ladarescu, C. Domingo-Pardo, F. Calviño, A. Casanovas, A. Tarifeño-Saldiv… 展开作者
V. Babiano-Suárez, J. Lerendegui-Marco, J. Balibrea-Correa, L. Caballero, D. Calvo, I. Ladarescu, C. Domingo-Pardo, F. Calviño, A. Casanovas, A. Tarifeño-Saldivia, V. Alcayne, C. Guerrero, M. A. Millán-Callado, M. T. Rodríguez González, M. Barbagallo, O. Aberle, S. Amaducci, J. Andrzejewski, L. Audouin, M. Bacak, S. Bennett, E. Berthoumieux, J. Billowes, D. Bosnar, A. Brown, M. Busso, M. Caamaño, M. Calviani, D. Cano-Ott, F. Cerutti, E. Chiaveri, N. Colonna, G. Cortés, M. A. Cortés-Giraldo, L. Cosentino, S. Cristallo, L. A. Damone, P. J. Davies, M. Diakaki, M. Dietz, R. Dressler, Q. Ducasse, E. Dupont, I. Durán, Z. Eleme, B. Fern\', ez-Domínguez, A. Ferrari, P. Finocchiaro, V. Furman, K. Göbel, R. Garg, A. Gawlik, S. Gilardoni, I. F. Gonçalves, E. González-Romero, F. Gunsing, H. Harada, S. Heinitz, J. Heyse, D. G. Jenkins, A. Junghans, F. Käppeler, Y. Kadi, A. Kimura, I. Knapova, M. Kokkoris, Y. Kopatch, M. Krtička, D. Kurtulgil, C. Lederer-Woods, H. Leeb, S. J. Lonsdale, D. Macina, A. Manna, T. Martinez, A. Masi, C. Massimi, P. Mastinu, M. Mastromarco, E. A. Maugeri, A. Mazzone, E. Mendoza, A. Mengoni, V. Michalopoulou, P. M. Milazzo, F. Mingrone, J. Moreno-Soto, A. Musumarra, A. Negret, F. Ogállar, A. Oprea, N. Patronis, A. Pavlik, J. Perkowski, L. Persanti, C. Petrone, E. Pirovano, I. Porras, J. Praena, J. M. Quesada, D. Ramos-Doval, T. Rauscher, R. Reifarth, D. Rochman, C. Rubbia, M. Sabaté-Gilarte, A. Saxena, P. Schillebeeckx, D. Schumann, A. Sekhar, A. G. Smith, N. V. Sosnin, P. Sprung, A. Stamatopoulos, G. Tagliente, J. L. Tain, L. Tassan-Got, Th. Thomas, P. Torres-Sánchez, A. Tsinganis, J. Ulrich, S. Urlass, S. Valenta, G. Vannini, V. Variale, P. Vaz, A. Ventura, D. Vescovi, V. Vlachoudis, R. Vlastou, A. Wallner, P. J. Woods, T. Wright, P. Žugec
i-TED is an innovative detection system which exploits Compton imaging techniques to achieve a superior signal-to-background ratio in ($n,γ$) cross-section measurements using time-of-flight technique. This work presents the first experimental validation of the i-TED apparatus for high-resolution time-of-flight experiments and demonstrates for the first time the concept proposed for background rejection. To this aim both $^{197}$Au($n,γ$) and $^{56}$Fe($n, γ$) reactions were measured at CERN n\_TOF using an i-TED demonstrator based on only three position-sensitive detectors. Two \cds detectors were also used to benchmark the performance of i-TED. The i-TED prototype built for this study shows a factor of $\sim$3 higher detection sensitivity than state-of-the-art \cds detectors in the $\sim$10~keV neutron energy range of astrophysical interest. This paper explores also the perspectives of further enhancement in performance attainable with the final i-TED array consisting of twenty position-sensitive detectors and new analysis methodologies based on Machine-Learning techniques.
i-TED consists of both a total energy detector and a Compton camera primarily intended for the measurement of neutron capture cross sections by means of the simultaneous combination of neutron time-of-flight (TOF) and $γ$-ray imaging techniques. TOF allows one to obtain a neutron-energy differential capture yield, whereas the imaging capability is intended for the discrimination of radiative background sources, that have a spatial origin different from that of the capture sample under investigation. A distinctive feature of i-TED is the embedded Dynamic Electronic Collimation (DEC) concept, wh…
Very Small Angle Neutron Scattering (VSANS) is an upgrade of the traditional Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) technique which can cover three orders of magnitude of length scale from one nanometer to one micrometer. It is a powerful tool for structure calibration in polymer science, biology, material science and condensed matter physics. Since the first VSANS instrument, D11 in Grenoble, was built in 1972, new collimation techniques, focusing optics (multi-beam converging apertures, material or magnetic lenses, and focusing mirrors) and higher resolution detectors combined with the long f…
The aim of this document is to summarise the discussion and the contributions from the 2nd Academia-Industry Matching Event on Detecting Neutrons with MPGDs which took place at CERN on the 16th and the 17th of March 2015. These events provide a platform for discussing the prospects of Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGDs) for thermal and fast neutron detection, commercial constraints and possible solutions. The aim is to foster the collaboration between the particle physics community, the neutron detector users, instrument scientists and fabricants.
A new method for measuring \ngr cross sections aiming at enhanced signal-to-background ratio is presented. This new approach is based on the combination of the pulse-height weighting technique with a total energy detection system that features $γ$-ray imaging capability (i-TED). The latter allows one to exploit Compton imaging techniques to discriminate between true capture $γ$-rays arising from the sample under study and background $γ$-rays coming from contaminant neutron (prompt or delayed) captures in the surrounding environment. A general proof-of-concept detection system for this applicat…
Compared to Multi Wires Proportional Chambers (MWPC), Micro-Pattern Gas Detectors (MPGD) used in HEP to detect MIPs offer better spatial resolution, counting rate capability, and radiation hardness; their fabrication is also more reproducible. Provided similar advantages are applicable to detect neutrons, MPGDs might contribute significantly to the development of neutron scientific instrumentation. In order to evaluate the prospects of neutron MPGDs, it is worth knowing the applications which would benefit from a gain in performance, and if they offer a competitive alternative to conventional …
Investigated in this work are sensitivities to non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) of a prototype detector placed about 20 meters away from the Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in two years of data taking. The presumed prototype consists of 10 kg undoped CsI scintillation crystals directly coupled with SiPM arrays operated at 77 K. Compared to the COHERENT CsI(Na) detector, a much higher light yield is assumed for the prototype. An experiment with a cylindrical undoped CsI crystal coupled directly to a photomultiplier tube at about 77 K was conducted to verif…
Current Status and Prospects of Neutron Detection and Neutron/Gamma Discrimination Technologies in Fusion Applications
College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology（成都理工大学核技术与自动化工程学院）；Engineering & Technical College of Chengdu University of Technology, Southwestern Institute of Physics（成都理工大学工程与技术学院，西南物理研究院）；School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Wenzhou University of Technology（温州理工学院数据科学与人工智能学院）；Artificial Intelligence Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering（四川省重点实验室（人工智能），四川轻化工大学）
Experiment E02-013, approved by PAC21, will measure the neutron electric form factor at \qsq~up to 3.4 \gvsq, which is twice that achieved to date. The main features of the new experiment will be the use of the electron spectrometer BigBite, a large array of neutron detectors, and a polarized \he3~target. We present the parameters and optimization of the experimental setup. A concept of an experiment for \GEN~where precision \GEP~data is used for calibration of the systematics of a Rosenbluth type measurement is also discussed. A concept of the circulating gas flow in the polarized He$^3$ targ…
This paper summarizes the relevant theoretical developments, outlines some ideas to improve experimental searches for free neutron-antineutron oscillations, and suggests avenues for future improvement in the experimental sensitivity.
Investigated in this work were sensitivities of a prototype detector for the detection of low-mass dark matter particles produced at the Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in two years of data taking. The presumed prototype consisted of 10 kg undoped CsI or NaI scintillation crystals directly coupled with SiPM arrays operated at 77 K. Compared to the COHERENT CsI(Na) detector, a much higher light yield was assumed for the prototype. An experiment with a cylindrical 1~kg undoped CsI crystal coupled directly to two photomultiplier tubes at about 77~K was conducted as …
Segmented antineutrino detectors placed near a compact research reactor provide an excellent opportunity to probe short-baseline neutrino oscillations and precisely measure the reactor antineutrino spectrum. Close proximity to a reactor combined with minimal overburden yield a high background environment that must be managed through shielding and detector technology. PROSPECT is a new experimental effort to detect reactor antineutrinos from the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy. The detector will use nove…
Upgrades to improve the sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors enable more frequent detections and more precise source parameter estimation. Unlike other advanced interferometric detectors such as Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo, KAGRA requires different approach for the upgrade since it is the only detector which employs cryogenic cooling of the test masses. In this paper, we describe possible KAGRA upgrades with technologies focusing on different detector bands, and compare the impacts on the detection of compact binary coalescences. We show that either fivefold improvement in the $100…
Silicon detectors have gained in popularity since silicon became a widely used micro/nanoelectronic semiconductor material. Silicon detectors are used in particle physics as well as imaging for pixel based detecting systems. Over the past twenty years a lot of experimental efforts have been focused on the effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation on silicon pixels. Some of this research was done in the framework of high luminosity particle physics experiments, along with radiation hardness studies of basic semiconductors devices. In its simplest form the semiconductor pixel detectors redu…
The spherical proportional counter is a large volume gaseous detector which finds application in several fields, including direct Dark Matter searches. When the detector is filled with nitrogen it becomes an effective neutron spectrometer thanks to the $^{14}$N(n,$\mathrmα$)$^{11}$B and $^{14}$N(n,p)$^{14}$C reactions. Nitrogen, however, is a challenging operating gas for proportional counters and requires a high electric field strength to gas pressure ratio. Benefiting from the latest advances in spherical proportional counter instrumentation and simulation techniques, we report first neutron…
This paper describes the design and performance of a 50 liter, two-segment $^{6}$Li-loaded liquid scintillator detector that was designed and operated as prototype for the PROSPECT (Precision Reactor Oscillation and Spectrum) Experiment. The two-segment detector was constructed according to the design specifications of the experiment. It features low-mass optical separators, an integrated source and optical calibration system, and materials that are compatible with the $^{6}$Li-doped scintillator developed by PROSPECT. We demonstrate a high light collection of 850$\pm$20 PE/MeV, an energy reso…
