This paper describes objective technical results and analysis.

Any subjective views or opinions that might be expressed

Characterization of a silicon photomultiplier detector array for

in the paper do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.

SAND2020-13521C

neutron time-of-flight spectroscopy of laser produced neutrons

J. d. Vaughan1, Q. Looker2, M. Bailly-Grandvaux1, E. Oberla3, J. W. Stahoviak4, G. Chandler2, R. Pang4, I. Mostafanezhad4, T. Ditmire5, F. N. Beg1, J. L. Porter2

UC San Diego, San Diego, CA; 2Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM; 3Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL; 4Nalu Scientific LLC, Honolulu, HI; 5Center for High Energy Density Sciences, UT Austin, Austin, TX
1

MOTIVATION AND EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

Single PMT versus SiPM array Experimental set-up: Cockcroft-Walton Generator and Detectors
Goal Develop a compact neutron counting array using SiPM technology (Silicon
photomultipliers). Single PMT nToF vs. SiPM Array nToF Above is a schematic diagram of the Cockcroft-Walton generator used to generate
Figure. Typical averaged
waveform from single single neutrons continuously by aiming a deuterium ion beam at an erbium tritium
Single PMT nToF: scintillator coupled with PMT; PMT nToF (red) Scintillator-SiPM Pixelated Detectors target, where a fusion reaction between the deuterium and tritium generates the
Why • The new detector is compact and easy to operate. compared with a typical
photocathode converts scintillator light into neutron. The neutron detector sits at a specific angle in order to capture ~14 MeV
• Closer placement to source electrons which become multiplied over several
averaged waveform from
an SiPM system (blue). neutrons for detection.
• Less sensitivity to gamma flashes dynode stages resulting in a detectable signal Note how the SiPM
• SE: scintillation efficiency signal is much narrower
• More data per shot (multiple SiPM’s) in time and exhibits
• QE: quantum efficiency of photocathode
• Operates at a much lower bias than PMT’s (~20 V vs. 2 kV) SiPM Array: scintillator coupled with a set of pixels;
ringing. Neutron Detector
• One can develop neutron spectra for each pixel, and combine them to each pixel is an SiPM, which is an array of avalanche Target ErT2
photodiodes (APD) that can each be triggered by a Beam 175 keV deuterium, 200 nA +/- 20 nA Neutron ~14.1 MeV
create 2D spectra that show the evolution of the plasma source in
single photon to generate an electronic signal
time. • PDE: photon detection efficiency of the SiPM
68°
• Above are shown the pixelated scintillators
• This 2D capability, if combined with several detectors, could serve to Photos of
used for the second round of experiments
the
create a tomographic spectrum of a source. scintillator • On the left, each scintillator was wrapped
110° Vacuum Chamber
with copper tape to insulate between the Reaction d(t,α)n, Q=17.6 MeV
component
Alpha ~3.5 MeV
How Two separate IBL (Ion Beam Laboratory) runs (left) and cells.
breakout • On the right is the array used to align
- Fielded first detector with monolithic scintillator SiPM board the scintillator cells to the breakout board Limiting Aperture 2.5mm diameter @ 30.5cm
- Fielded second detector with pixelated scintillators (right). with the SiPM array.
Si Detector

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS μm μm

Monolithic scintillator SiPM array results Pixelated scintillator SiPM array: Preliminary results

SiPM pixel layout & example histograms of shared signal response between different pixels
Schematic of SiPM pixel positions
1 4
on array. The oscilloscope on hand
could only record four channels at a
time, and as noted below, these
particular pixels were chosen to
investigate the potential of the
pixels to distinguish position of
neutron impact.
It is apparent that the insulated scintillator cells do indeed reduce signal-sharing One run at the Ion Beam
amongst the SiPM pixels. Laboratory used 10 pixels. 1
Bifurcations are present between pixels. Some are picking up more amplitude The x=y ridges apparent in the original data set do not appear in the new data. The corresponding
than others. The triggered pixel, after amplitude correction, seems to pick up histograms for some of the
The triggered pixel still carries most of the amplitude (in the histograms given 5 6 7 8
the most signal comparatively. pixels’ relationships are
below, that run triggered on pixel 7).
There are many events where no pixels pick up signal except the trigger pixel. shown here. We can see 9 10 11 12
7 Peak amplitudes match expectations (previously they were much lower than
Shared events are likely indicative of scintillator light from a single neutron that some pixels exhibit
calculated). bifurcation arms while 16
dissipating over the SiPM array.
others strictly exhibit one
Arm events (bifurcation arm) possibly indicate single neutron events where pixel carrying all the
16
the light did not travel as far. amplitude versus others.
Ridge events (where most of the events lie on the ridge of the histogram
where x~y) probably indicate the effect of the monolithic scintillator’s light
spreading.
Yellow bin/orange bin on x axis: These are epicenters of instances where only
the trigger pixel seemed to pick up signal while the other channels
malfunctioned or did not pick up any events.

• These pixels were chosen out of the 16 on the board to

see if the position of a neutron impact could be detected,
wherein one pixel’s amplitude would be higher than all
the others.
• Based on the types of event amplitudes picked up, this
scenario is ruled out for the time being because scattered
light from the scintillator seemed to be detected by every
pixel to some degree.

SUMMARY AND FUTURE WORK

Summary Future work and projects Acknowledgement References

Analyzing Texas Petawatt data for solid foils and liquid jets on neutron generation
CHECK: New data suggests that insulated scintillator pixels indeed improves positionality 1. M.D. Cable, S.P. Hatchet, and M.B. Nelson, “Neutron
– Develop neutron spectrum characterizing the source Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission
detection of single neutrons. – Utilizing compact digitizer waveform recording (to record up to 32 channels)
spectroscopy with a large neutron time-of-flight
laboratory managed and operated by NTESS LLC,
a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell detector array (LaNSA),” Review of Scientific
Original data pointed to potential electronic cross-talk between pixels and the triggered pixel. Further analyzing Ion Beam Laboratory data to determine if positionality can be discerned and how well the Instruments, 63, 4823 (1992).
International Inc. for the U.S. DOE’s NNSA under
insulation on each scintillator pixel prevents light spreading. contract DE-NA0003525. 2. J. D. Styron, “Time and energy characterization of a
The SiPM array is a viable option for neutron time-of-flight detection. neutron time of flight detector using a novel
Also analyzing whether electronic cross-talk is the factor that causes different pixels to pick up and share the coincidence method for constraining neutron yield, ion
The manufacturing capability to implement these SiPM arrays would improve nToF detection. This material is also supported by the
same neutron signal. temperature and liner density measurements from
Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security
Multiple pixels to generate multiple waveforms could also provide better signal-to-noise ratios. Administration under Award Number DE- MagLIF experiments.” 7 July 2017. University of New
Answering other open questions, like whether delays between the signals can just be explained by cable Mexico, Department of Nuclear Engineering.
NA0003842.
lengths, or if there is another factor at play.

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