Development of a ZnS/BO ceramic scintillator neutron detector for safeguards NDA systems

Nakamura, Tatsuya  ; To, Kentaro  ; Sakasai, Kaoru  ; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Soyama, Kazuhiko  ; Kureta, Masatoshi   ; Ozu, Akira  ; Takase, Misao; Nakamura, Hironobu ; Seya, Michio

We have developed a neutron detector by using ZnS/BO ceramic scintillator for nuclear safeguards NDA systems. The detector has a simple structure where ZnS/BO ceramic scintillator is implemented in the light reflecting case and two PMTs are connected at either end of it. The ZnS/BO ceramic scintillator was originally developed for a two-dimensional neutron detector in the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex in Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility. No organic binder material is used in the scintillator, which makes it suitable to a detector operating under -ray irradiation over a long period of time. A neutron absorption probability can be increased by installing two scintillator strips in cross arrangement. In the presentation present status of detector development including detector design, detection system and experimental results measured with a prototype detector will be presented.