An instrument for Neutron transmission measurements on small (radioactive) samples
Instrument Specifications
DICER is located at Flight Path 13 at Lujan (1LFP13) and was developed in 2022 to measure neutron transmission in the resonance region on very small radioactive samples as an indirect means to tightly constrain their neutron-capture cross sections. DICER performed a proof-of-principle measurements on 88Zr and planning on an experiment on 88Y and several other radionuclides.
As of February 2022, measurements are feasible on samples as small as 1 mm in diameter and source-to-detector flight path length of 32 m (with samples at roughly ½ this distance) are available. A filter box to facilitate background and other measurements is part of the apparatus.
Current measurements employ a dual photomultiplier 6Li-glass scintillator detectors and single photomultiplier 6Li-glass scintillator detectors with 2, 4, 6 and 12 mm thicknesses. In addition CLYC and plastic scintillator detectors are also available as well as a 64 pixel imaging detector, the Large Area Picosecond Photodetector (LAPPD).
Planned improvements include a sample collimator/changer/shield for radioactive samples as small as 0.1 mm in diameter and with activities as high as several Curies, and the development of a 64 m station, which is expected to be operational by 2027.
