Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) energy dependent scintillation response to fast neutrons and flash gamma-rays

Gallium oxide is a newly emerged ultrawide bandgap (4.9 eV) semiconductor that is suitable as a combined electronics and radiation detection platform. We have experimentally demonstrated fast neutron and gamma-ray scintillation from Czochralski-grown β-Ga2O3 in a recent series (October 2023) of expe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of scientific instruments 2024-08, Vol.95 (8)
Main Authors: Valdes, D. J., Miller, S., Leak, C., Haque, S., Gunthoti, K., Wender, S. A., Paneru, S., Lee, H.-Y., Vogel, S. C., Sun, K.-X.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CCD cameras
Electronics
Fast neutrons
Fusion experiments
Gallium
Gallium oxides
Gamma rays
Luminescence
Neutron energy
Neutron flux
Neutrons
Nuclear energy
OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
Oxides
Scintillation
Scintillation counters
Scintillation detectors
Scintillators
Spallation
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Summary:Gallium oxide is a newly emerged ultrawide bandgap (4.9 eV) semiconductor that is suitable as a combined electronics and radiation detection platform. We have experimentally demonstrated fast neutron and gamma-ray scintillation from Czochralski-grown β-Ga2O3 in a recent series (October 2023) of experiments at the unmoderated pulsed neutron spallation source located at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. Using the neutron time-of-flight (TOF) technique and a fast-gated intensified CCD camera, we observed energy-dependent neutron scintillation for neutron energies ranging from 1 to 400 MeV, including the 14.1 MeV neutron energy relevant to D–T fusion. Neutron flux is quantified and calibrated by cascading the scintillator after the fission chamber, enabling a detailed analysis of temporal and energy-dependent characteristics of the scintillation events. A pronounced scintillation signal from the spallation gamma flash with a temporal full width of half maximum of ∼4 ns is indicative of the material’s rapid response. Neutron energy dependent scintillation is observed using the TOF method at a 22.6-m distance from the neutron source. These results highlight the possibility of developing a Ga2O3 based fusion neutron diagnostic platform integrated with both scintillation and electronics functions on the integrated chip scale.
ISSN:0034-6748
1089-7623
1089-7623
DOI:10.1063/5.0219595