DAEMON - Detector Array for Energy Measurement Of Neutrons

衰变后中子谱的测量提供了核结构的信息，对宇宙中重元素丰度的计算有影响，也有实际应用，如反应堆燃料循环。快中子能量的测量通常是通过测量它们的飞行时间来完成的。然而，这样的测量带来了重大的挑战，并且在检测效率（通过使用厚探测器来优化）和能量分辨率（通过使用薄探测器来优化）之间总是存在平衡。我们建议建造一个塑料闪烁体阵列，即中子能量测量探测器阵列（DAEMON），与TRIUMF-ISAC设施的GRIFFIN伽马射线光谱仪一起使用，以实现富中子物质β衰变后中子的高分辨率测量。这个闪烁体阵列将由塑料棒组成，在它们的初始配置中，将被塑造成适合DESCANT中子探测器的形状——探测器的半球形外壳占据了大约25%的立体角。由塑料中的中子相互作用产生的闪烁光将由硅光电倍增管阵列检测，该阵列将通过市售的专用集成电路（asic）读出。新的阵列将提供目前在TRIUMF-ISAC设施中不存在的能力，能够通过飞行时间对中子进行高分辨率能量测量，同时，与DESCANT一起，提供高效率的中子标记设备，再加上强大的GRIFFIN光谱仪，提供无与伦比的伽马射线探测效率。这将为TRIUMF-ISAC开辟新的研究途径，并将为更广泛的伽马射线光谱学合作提供强有力的增强研究计划。我们进一步设想，由于这种新能力，将发展强有力的国际合作。

Measurements of spectrum of neutrons following beta-decay provides information for both nuclear structure, has impacts on calculations for the abundance of heavy elements in the Universe, and also for practical applications such as reactor fuel cycles. Measurement of the energies of fast neutrons are typically performed by measuring their time of flight. Such measurements, however, pose significant challenges, and there is always a balance between detection efficiency, which would be optimized through the use of thick detectors, and energy resolution, optimized through the use of thin detectors. We propose to construct an array of plastic scintillators, the Detector Array for Energy Measurement Of Neutrons (DAEMON), to be used in conjunction with the GRIFFIN gamma-ray spectrometer at the TRIUMF-ISAC facility to enable high-resolution measurements of the neutrons following beta-decay of neutron-rich species. This scintillator array will be composed of plastic bars that, in their initial configuration, will be shaped to fit within the DESCANT neutron detector - a semi-spherical shell of detectors that occupy approximately 25% of the solid angle. The scintillation light produced from the neutron interactions in the plastic will be detected with Si photomultiplier arrays that will be read out via commercially available application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The new array will provide a capability that does not currently exist at the TRIUMF-ISAC facility enabling high-resolution energy measurements of the neutrons via time of flight, while simultaneously, with DESCANT, providing a high efficiency device for tagging on the neutrons, coupled with the powerful GRIFFIN spectrometer that provides unsurpassed gamma-ray detection efficiency. This will open new avenues of research at TRIUMF-ISAC and will provide a strong enhancement of the research program performed by the broader Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy collaboration. We further envision strong international collaborations to be developed as a result of this new capability.