Determination of energy-dependent neutron backgrounds using shadow bars

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2023-08, Vol.1053 (C), p.168341, Article 168341
• Main Authors: Paneru, S.N., Brown, K.W., Teh, F.C.E, Zhu, K., Tsang, M.B., Dell’Aquila, D., Chajecki, Z., Lynch, W.G., Sweany, S., Tsang, C.Y., Anthony, A.K., Barney, J., Estee, J., Gasparic, I., Jhang, G., Khanal, O.B., Manfredi, J., Niu, C.Y., Wang, R.S., Zamora, J.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: NE-213 scintillator; Neutron background; Shadow bars
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2023.168341

Understanding the neutron background is essential for determining the neutron yield from nuclear reactions. The neutron backgrounds were determined for heavy-ion collision experiment using the shadow-bar method, where beams of 40,48Ca at 56, 140 MeV/u impinged on targets of 58,64Ni and 112,124Sn. In the analysis presented here, brass shadow bars are placed in front of organic liquid scintillator neutron detectors to determine the energy-dependent neutron background fractions. The measurement of neutron spectra with and without shadow bars is important to determine the neutron background more accurately. The neutron background, along with its sources and systematic uncertainties, are explored with a focus on the impact of background models and their dependence on neutron energy.