Collaborative Research: Equipment: MRI Consortium: Track 2 Development of a Next Generation Fast Neutron Detector

合作研究：设备：MRI 联盟：下一代快中子探测器的 Track 2 开发

• 批准号: 2320404
• 负责人: Anthony Kuchera
• 金额: $ 36.25万
• 依托单位: Davidson College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-15 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2320404&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Equipment; MRI; Consortium

The study of neutron-rich atomic nuclei can reveal effects about how protons and neutrons interact inside nuclei. These play an important role in the formation of the elements in the universe and help scientists understand how the nuclear core of atoms form. One of the ways to investigate these nuclei at the edge of stability is to measure their breakup products, which includes the neutrons that are not needed to hold the smaller nuclei together. The detection of neutrons is challenging because they have no charge and only interact with the nuclear core of atoms. This award will support the development, building, and commissioning of a modular array based on plastic scintillator for the detection of fast (between one third and one half the speed of light) neutrons. The new detector array will significantly improve how precisely we can determine the neutrons’ position compared to current neutron detectors because it will make use of state-of-the-art photo-sensors, and as a result enable nuclear structure measurements with superior precision. The detector modules will be built and tested to a large extent at the seven participating undergraduate institutions, allowing undergraduate students to learn key technical skills and to contribute to nuclear physics research in a meaningful way. Scintillation detectors, i.e. detectors that measure the scintillation light that stems from subatomic particles interacting within the detector, are widely employed in research, industry, and medical imaging, so these skills can be applied in many crucial fields.Contemporary fast neutron detectors use conventional detector configurations of long plastic scintillator bars read out by pairs of photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). The position of the neutron interaction is deduced from the time difference of the signals measured by each PMT at opposite ends of the detector bar, and from which detector bar has been hit. A different approach to scintillation-light collection is pursued in this new detector using arrays of Silicon Photo-Multipliers (SiPMs), overcoming the limitations of current designs and resulting in improved position resolution for fast neutron detection. This also allows a tiled design that offers much more flexibility in adjusting the active area of the array to specific experiment needs. Invariant-mass spectroscopy of neutron-unbound states in elements beyond oxygen requires such an experimental setup with improved resolution. As one moves to heavier unbound systems one faces higher level densities. To resolve these in the reconstructed decay energy spectrum requires higher momentum (and thus position) resolution. A high position resolution also improves the discrimination of double-scattered events and allows the use of higher beam energies that are available at the rare-isotope beam facilities such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). The completed instrument will serve the broad FRIB user community and enable invariant mass measurements at the resolution that is required for heavier and more exotic isotopes that are available with FRIB beams.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

对富含中子的原子核的研究可以揭示有关质子和中子在核中如何相互作用的影响。这些在宇宙中元素的形成中起着重要作用，并帮助科学家了解原子的核心核心如何形成。在稳定边缘调查这些核的方法之一是测量其分裂产物，其中包括不需要将较小的核固定在一起的中子。中子的检测是具有挑战性的，因为它们没有电荷，并且仅与原子的核心核相互作用。该奖项将支持基于塑料闪烁体的模块化阵列的开发，建造和调试，以检测快速（三分之一至一半的光速）中子。与当前的中子检测器相比，新的检测器阵列将显着改善我们可以确切地确定中子的位置，因为它将利用最先进的照相传感器，因此可以以优质的精度实现核结构测量。探测器模块将在七个参与的本科机构中在很大程度上建立和测试，从而使本科生能够学习关键的技术技能，并以有意义的方式为核物理研究做出贡献。 Scintillation detectors, i.e. detectors that measure the scintillation light that plants from subatomic particles interacting within the detector, are widely employed In research, industry, and medical imaging, so these skills can be applied in many crucial fields.Contemporary fast neutron detectors use conventional detector configurations of long plastic scintillator bars read out by pairs of photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs).中子相互作用的位置是从每个PMT在检测器杆相对端测量的信号的时间差推导的，并从中受到检测器杆的命中。在此新检测器中，使用硅光化阵列（sipms）采用了另一种闪烁光收集的方法，克服了当前设计的局限性，并导致了改进的位置分辨率以快速中子检测。这还允许瓷砖设计，该设计在调整阵列的活动区域时为特定的实验需求提供了更大的灵活性。超出氧气元素中的中子状态的不变质量光谱需要这种实验设置，并改善了分辨率。随着人们转移到较重的未结合系统时，人们会面临更高级别的密度。为了在重建的衰减能谱中解决这些问题需要更高的动量（从因此位置）分辨率。高位置分辨率还改善了双散射事件的歧视，并允许使用稀有异位束设备（例如稀有同位素束（FRIB）的设施）可用的更高光束能量。完整的仪器将为宽阔的FRIB用户社区提供服务，并以较重，更外来的同位素的分辨率实现不变的质量测量，该分辨率是可与FRIB梁一起使用的更重，更外来的同位素。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的知识分子和广泛的影响审查审查审查标准来通过评估来诚实地通过评估来诚实。