Novel analysis technique for measurements with single-crystal chemical vapor deposition (sCVD) diamond detectors

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oPAC fellow Pavel Kavrigin and his supervisor at Cividec Instrumentation, Erich Griesmayer, have recently published two papers in European Physics Journal A, detailing a new technique to analyse cross section measurements with single-crystal chemical vapor deposition (sCVD) diamond detectors.

This method exploits the unique electronic property of sCVD diamond sensors that the signal shape of the detector current is directly proportional to the initial ionization profile.

In fast-neutron fields the diamond sensor acts simultaneously as target and sensor. The interaction of neutrons with the stable isotopes 12C and 13C is of interest for fast-neutron diagnostics. The measured signal shapes of detector current pulses are used to identify individual types of interactions in the diamond with the goal to select neutron-induced reactions in the diamond and to suppress neutron-induced background reactions as well as g-background.

The method was verified with experimental data from 13C(n,a0)10Be cross section measurements performed at the Van de Graaff facility of the Joint Research Centre Geel. The 13C(n,a0)10Be cross section was measured relative to the 12C(n,a0)9Be cross section at 14.3 MeV and 17.0 MeV neutron energies.

The 13C(n,a)10Be reaction was successfully extracted from the dominating background of recoil protons and g-rays and the energy resolution of the 12C(n,a)9Be reaction was substantially improved. The presented analysis technique is especially relevant for diagnostics in harsh radiation environments, like fission and fusion reactors. It allows extracting the neutron spectrum from the background, and is particularly applicable to neutron flux monitoring and neutron spectroscopy.

 

More information:

13C(n,a0)10Be cross section measurement with sCVD diamond detector, P. Kavrigin, E. Griesmayer, F. Belloni, A.J.M. Plompen, P. Schillebeeckx, C. Weiss, Eur. Phys. J. A 52, 179 (2016)

Ionization signals of diamond detectors in fast neutron fields, C. Weiss, H. Frais-Kölbl, E. Griesmayer, P. Kavrigin, Eur. Phys. J. A 52, 269 (2016)