Solid polystyrene and deuterated polystyrene light output response to fast neutrons

The Neutron Imaging System has proven to be an important diagnostic in studying DT implosion characteristics at the National Ignition Facility. The current system depends on a polystyrene scintillating fiber array, which detects fusion neutrons born in the DT hotspot as well as neutrons that have sc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of scientific instruments 2016-04, Vol.87 (4), p.043513-043513
Main Authors: Simpson, R., Danly, C., Glebov, V. Yu, Hurlbut, C., Merrill, F. E., Volegov, P. L., Wilde, C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Benzene
Chemical elements
Deuteration
Deuterium
Diagnostic systems
Fast neutrons
Heterocyclic compounds
Image resolution
Implosions
Isotopes
Lasers
Liquid scintillators
Neutron imaging
Neutrons
Oscilloscopes
OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
Photochemistry
Polymers
Polystyrene resins
Scientific apparatus & instruments
Scintillating fibers
Scintillation counters
Transition metals
Tritium
Xylene
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The Neutron Imaging System has proven to be an important diagnostic in studying DT implosion characteristics at the National Ignition Facility. The current system depends on a polystyrene scintillating fiber array, which detects fusion neutrons born in the DT hotspot as well as neutrons that have scattered to lower energies in the surrounding cold fuel. Increasing neutron yields at NIF, as well as a desire to resolve three-dimensional information about the fuel assembly, have provided the impetus to build and install two additional next-generation neutron imaging systems. We are currently investigating a novel neutron imaging system that will utilize a deuterated polystyrene (CD) fiber array instead of standard hydrogen-based polystyrene (CH). Studies of deuterated xylene or deuterated benzene liquid scintillator show an improvement in imaging resolution by a factor of two [L. Disdier et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 75, 2134 (2004)], but also a reduction in light output [V. Bildstein et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 729, 188 (2013); M. I. Ojaruega, Ph.D. thesis, University of Michigan, 2009; M. T. Febbraro, Ph.D. thesis, University of Michigan, 2014] as compared to standard plastic. Tests of the relative light output of deuterated polystyrene and standard polystyrene were completed using 14 MeV fusion neutrons generated through implosions of deuterium-tritium filled capsules at the OMEGA laser facility. In addition, we collected data of the relative response of these two scintillators to a wide energy range of neutrons (1-800 MeV) at the Weapons Neutrons Research Facility. Results of these measurements are presented.
ISSN:0034-6748
1089-7623
DOI:10.1063/1.4947515