The Study of Boron-Lined Honeycomb Neutron Detector with a Multi-Wire Proportional Chamber Readout

摘要

Boron-lined honeycomb convertor neutron detector (BHCND) exhibits high detection efficiencies, good spatial resolution and is a potential alternative to ³He detectors for the application of neutron scattering. However, due to the unsatisfactory electrons’ migration efficiencies, the neutron detection efficiency is lower than the simulated result. A new design of the BHCND using a multi-wire proportional chamber (MWPC) readout is proposed in this paper. Unlike the gas electron multiplier (GEM) used in the former work, the MWPC can collect and multiply electrons from both its upper and lower sides, thus the honeycomb neutron converter can be separated into two parts or even more, with the MWPC readout placed between them. As a result, the electrons’ migration distance is shortened by half. The Garfield++ simulations show that the electrons’ migration efficiencies are significantly improved. The equivalent energy deposition of the neutron signal is enlarged. Finally, the neutron detection efficiencies of the new BHCND with natural boron increase to 24.2%, with a 96 keV threshold set to discriminate noises and gamma-rays.