Performance study of a new LiCAF:Ce detector developed for high-efficient neutron detection in intense -ray fields

Kaburagi, Masaaki   ; Kamada, Kei*; Ishii, Junya*; Matsumoto, Tetsuro*; Manabe, Seiya*; Masuda, Akihiko*; Harano, Hideki*; Kato, Masahiro*; Shimazoe, Kenji*

A new LiCAF:Ce detector with an ultra-thick (99 m) crystal and optimized readout was developed. The LiCAF:Ce and KG2 detectors were used to detect a sealed Cf-252 neutron source (neutron emission rate of ~) using a 5 cm thick high-density polyethylene (HDPE) block located at the front of the detector. At the air kerma rates at the front surface of the HDPE block () of up to 1.07 Gy/h, the effective neutron count rate () for the LiCAF:Ce detector was the same within margins of errors, but it decreased by 5.7 0.8% at 2.97 Gy/h. In contrast, for the KG2 detector, with increased up to 1.07 Gy/h, for KG2 increased up to 20 1.0 % at 1.07 Gy/h. Then, decreased by 20 1.0% at 2.97 Gy/h. Therefore, the LiCAF:Ce detector exhibited a smaller influence on neutron count rates by -rays compared to the KG2 detector because of the faster decay time and optimization of digital pulse processing.