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Optical properties and pulse shape discrimination in siloxane-based scintillation detectors.

ABSTRACT: The possibility to detect fast neutrons as a distinct signal from that one of ?-rays background is surely of great importance for several topics, spanning from homeland security to radiation monitoring in nuclear physics research plants. Nowadays, Helium-3 based detectors are extremely expensive, while the use of large volume liquid scintillators presents serious concerns related to spillage risks and waste disposal. A very attractive alternative is the use of commercially available solid scintillators, which exploits an aromatic polymer matrix entrapping very high loadings of primary dye, thereby enabling the use of pulse shape analysis (PSA) to discriminate between fast neutrons and ?-rays. In this work, we analyse in detail the optical features of a solid scintillator composed by polymethylphenylsiloxane (PMPS) as base polymer loaded with moderate amounts of 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO). Furthermore, fluorescence decay kinetics have been correlated to the observed pulse shape discrimination capabilities of this radiation and thermally resistant scintillator, whose performances have been discussed in terms of conformational features and excimers formation revealed by the optical analyses.

SUBMITTER: Marchi T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6591301 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Optical properties and pulse shape discrimination in siloxane-based scintillation detectors.

Marchi T T Pino F F Fontana C L CL Quaranta A A Zanazzi E E Vesco M M Cinausero M M Daldosso N N Paterlini V V Gramegna F F Moretto S S Collazuol G G Degerlier M M Fabris D D Carturan S M SM

Scientific reports 20190624 1

The possibility to detect fast neutrons as a distinct signal from that one of γ-rays background is surely of great importance for several topics, spanning from homeland security to radiation monitoring in nuclear physics research plants. Nowadays, Helium-3 based detectors are extremely expensive, while the use of large volume liquid scintillators presents serious concerns related to spillage risks and waste disposal. A very attractive alternative is the use of commercially available solid scinti ...[more]

PMID: 31235878

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Project description:PurposeThe implementation of photon-counting detectors is widely expected to be the next breakthrough in X-ray computed tomography (CT) instrumentation. A small number of prototype scanners equipped with direct-conversion detectors based on room-temperature semiconductors, such as CdTe and CdZnTe (CZT), are currently installed at medical centers. Here, we investigate the feasibility of using silicon photomultiplier (SiPM)-based scintillation detectors in photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) scanners, as a potential alternative to CdTe and CZT detectors.MethodsWe introduce a model that allows us to compute the expected energy resolution as well as the expected pulse shape and associated rate capability of SiPM-based PCCT detectors. The model takes into account SiPM saturation and optical crosstalk, because these phenomena may substantially affect the performance of SiPM-based PCCT detectors with sub-mm pixels. We present model validation experiments using a single-pixel detector consisting of a 0.9 × 0.9 × 1.0 mm3 LuAP:Ce scintillation crystal coupled to a 1 × 1 mm2 SiPM. We subsequently use the validated model to compute the expected performance of the fast scintillators LYSO:Ce, LuAP:Ce, and LaBr3 :Ce, coupled to currently available SiPMs, as well as to a more advanced SiPM prototype with improved dynamic range, for sub-mm pixel sizes.ResultsThe model was found to be in good agreement with the validation experiments, both with respect to energy resolution and pulse shape. It shows how saturation progressively degrades the energy resolution of detectors equipped with currently available SiPMs as the pixel size decreases. Moreover, the expected pulse duration is relatively long (~200 ns) with these SiPMs. However, when LuAP:Ce and LaBr3 :Ce are coupled to the more advanced SiPM prototype, the pulse duration improves to less than 60 ns, which is in the same order of magnitude as pulses from CdTe and CZT detectors. It follows that sufficient rate capability can be achieved with pixel sizes of 400 μm or smaller. Moreover, LaBr3 :Ce detectors can provide an energy resolution of 11.5%-13.5% at 60 keV, comparable to CdTe and CZT detectors.ConclusionsThis work provides first evidence that it may be feasible to develop SiPM-based scintillation detectors for PCCT that can compete with CdTe and CZT detectors in terms of energy resolution and rate capability.

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Optical properties and pulse shape discrimination in siloxane-based scintillation detectors.

Publications

Optical properties and pulse shape discrimination in siloxane-based scintillation detectors.

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