Towards a new generation of solid total-energy detectors for neutron-capture time-of-flight experiments with intense neutron beams

Balibrea-Correa, J.; Babiano-Suarez, V.; Lerendegui-Marco, J.; Domingo-Pardo, C.; Ladarescu, I.; Tarifeño-Saldivia, A.; de la Fuente-Rosales, G.; Gameiro, B.; Zaitseva, N.; Alcayne, V.; Cano-Ott, D.; González-Romero, E.; Martínez, T.; Mendoza, E.; De Rada, A. Pérez; Del Olmo, J. Plaza; Sánchez-Caballero, A.; Casanovas, A.; Calviño, F.; Valenta, S.; Aberle, O.; Altieri, S.; Amaducci, S.; Andrzejewski, J.; Bacak, M.; Beltrami, C.; Bennett, S.; Bernardes, A. P.; Berthoumieux, E.; Beyer, R.; Boromiza, M.; Bosnar, D.; Caamaño, M.; Calviani, M.; Castelluccio, D. M.; Cerutti, F.; Cescutti, G.; Chasapoglou, S.; Chiaveri, E.; Colombetti, P.; Colonna, N.; Camprini, P. Console; Cortés, G.; Cortés-Giraldo, M. A.; Cosentino, L.; Cristallo, S.; Dellmann, S.; Di Castro, M.; Di Maria, S.; Diakaki, M.; Dietz, M.; Dressler, R.; Dupont, E.; Durán, I.; Eleme, Z.; Fargier, S.; Fernández, B.; Fernández-Domínguez, B.; Finocchiaro, P.; Fiore, S.; Furman, V.; García-Infantes, F.; Gawlik-Ramikega, A.; Gervino, G.; Gilardoni, S.; Guerrero, C.; Gunsing, F.; Gustavino, C.; Heyse, J.; Hillman, W.; Jenkins, D. G.; Jericha, E.; Junghans, A.; Kadi, Y.; Kaperoni, K.; Kaur, G.; Kimura, A.; Knapová, I.; Kokkoris, M.; Kopatch, Y.; Krtička, M.; Kyritsis, N.; Lederer-Woods, C.; Lerner, G.; Manna, A.; Masi, A.; Massimi, C.; Mastinu, P.; Mastromarco, M.; Maugeri, E. A.; Mazzone, A.; Mengoni, A.; Michalopoulou, V.; Milazzo, P. M.; Mucciola, R.; Murtas, F.; Musacchio-Gonzalez, E.; Musumarra, A.; Negret, A.; Pérez-Maroto, P.; Patronis, N.; Pavón-Rodríguez, J. A.; Pellegriti, M. G.; Perkowski, J.; Petrone, C.; Pirovano, E.; Pomp, S.; Porras, I.; Praena, J.; Quesada, J. M.; Reifarth, R.; Rochman, D.; Romanets, Y.; Rubbia, C.; Sabaté-Gilarte, M.; Schillebeeckx, P.; Schumann, D.; Sekhar, A.; Smith, A. G.; Sosnin, N. V.; Stamati, M. E.; Sturniolo, A.; Tagliente, G.; Tarrío, D.; Torres-Sánchez, P.; Vagena, E.; Variale, V.; Vaz, P.; Vecchio, G.; Vescovi, D.; Vlachoudis, V.; Vlastou, R.; Wallner, A.; Woods, P. J.; Wright, T.; Zarrella, R.; Žugec, P.

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2024.170110

Challenging neutron-capture cross-section measurements of small cross sections and samples with a very limited number of atoms require high-flux time-of-flight facilities. In turn, such facilities need innovative detection setups that are fast, have low sensitivity to neutrons, can quickly recover from the so-called γ-flash, and offer the highest possible detection sensitivity. In this paper, we present several steps towards such advanced systems. Specifically, we describe the performance of a high-sensitivity experimental setup at CERN n_TOF EAR2. It consists of nine sTED detector modules in a compact cylindrical configuration, two conventional used large-volume C6D6 detectors, and one LaCl3(Ce) detector. The performance of these detection systems is compared using 93Nb(n, γ) data. We also developed a detailed GEANT4 Monte Carlo model of the experimental EAR2 setup, which allows for a better understanding of the detector features, including their efficiency determination. This Monte Carlo model has been used for further optimization, thus leading to a new conceptual design of a γ detector array, STAR, based on a deuterated-stilbene crystal array. Finally, the suitability of deuterated-stilbene crystals for the future STAR array is investigated experimentally utilizing a small stilbene-d12 prototype. The results suggest a similar or superior performance of STAR with respect to other setups based on liquid-scintillators, and allow for additional features such as neutron-gamma discrimination and a higher level of customization capability.