Design and commissioning of a neutron counter adapted to high-intensity laser matter interactions

V. Lelasseux (1) , P.-A. Söderström , S. Aogaki , K. Burdonov , M. Cerchez , S. Chen , S. Dorard , A. Fazzini , M. Gugiu , S. Pikuz , F. Rotaru , O. Willi , F. Negoita , J. Fuchs

1 LULI - Laboratoire pour l'utilisation des lasers intenses

The advent of multi-PW laser facilities world-wide opens new opportunities for nuclear physics. With this perspective, we developed a neutron counter taking into account the specifics of a high-intensity laser environment. Using GEANT4 simulations and prototype testings, we report on the design of a modular neutron counter based on boron-10 enriched scintillators and a high-density polyethylene moderator. This detector has been calibrated using a plutonium-beryllium neutron source and commissioned during an actual neutron-producing laser experiment at the LULI2000 facility (France). An overall efficiency of 4.37(59)% has been demonstrated during calibration with a recovery time of a few hundred microseconds after laser-plasma interaction.

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

V. Lelasseux, P.-A. Söderström, S. Aogaki, K. Burdonov, M. Cerchez, et al.. Design and commissioning of a neutron counter adapted to high-intensity laser matter interactions. Review of Scientific Instruments, 2021, 92, ⟨10.1063/5.0057828⟩. ⟨insu-03717913⟩