DOE OSTI · 3003808
Prototype reactor-antineutrino detector based on 6 Li-doped pulse-shape-discriminating plastic scintillator
Abstract
An aboveground 60-kg reactor-antineutrino detector prototype, comprising a two-dimensional array of 36 6 Li-doped pulse-shape-sensitive plastic scintillator bars, is described. Each bar is 50 cm long with a square cross section of 5.5 cm. Doped with 6 Li at 0.1% by mass, the detector is capable of identifying correlated energy depositions for the detection of reactor antineutrinos via the inverse-𝛽-decay (IDB) reaction. Each bar is wrapped with a specular reflector that directs photons toward photomultiplier tubes mounted at both ends of the bar. Here, this paper highlights the construction, key features, and main performance characteristics of the system. The system, which relies on multiple observables such as pulse-shape discrimination, energy, position, and timing, is capable of detecting IBD-like neutron-correlated backgrounds, long-lived decay chains, and cosmogenic isotopes.
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Rodrigues, O. Benevides [Illinois Institute of Technology] (ORCID:0000000191816096), Bernard, E. P. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000229445359), Bowden, N. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000261150956), Bravo, C. [Georgia Institute of Technology] (ORCID:0000000237592623), Carr, R. [United States Naval Academy] (ORCID:0000000241815092), Classen, T. M. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory] (ORCID:000000016386041X), Conant, A. J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000177664321), Dazeley, S. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory], Dunbrack, M. T. [Georgia Institute of Technology], Durham, S. R. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000202106744), Erickson, A. S. [Georgia Institute of Technology], Haghighat, A. [Virginia Tech] (ORCID:0000000300091793), Heeger, K. M. [Yale University], Huber, P. [Virginia Tech], Irani, A. [Illinois Institute of Technology], Kyzylova, O. [Virginia Tech] (ORCID:0009000014215617), Li, Viacheslav A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000301914579), Link, J. M. [Virginia Tech] (ORCID:0000000215140650), Littlejohn, B. R. [Illinois Institute of Technology] (ORCID:0000000269129684), Machado, F. [Illinois Institute of Technology] (ORCID:0000000294360861), Mendenhall, M. P. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory], Mumm, H. P. [National Institute of Standards and Technology] (ORCID:0000000342049817), Newby, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory] (ORCID:0000000335711067), Roca, C. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory], Ross, J. [Virginia Tech], Sutanto, F. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory], Walkup, K. [Virginia Tech] (ORCID:0009000245507203), Wilhelmi, J. [Yale University] (ORCID:0000000255305130), Zhang, X. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]. 2025-11-07. Prototype reactor-antineutrino detector based on 6 Li-doped pulse-shape-discriminating plastic scintillator. https://doi.org/10.1103/6t97-9bpb
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