title: A technique for verifying the input response function of neutron time-of-flight scintillation detectors using cosmic rays.
abstract: An accurate interpretation of DD or DT fusion neutron time-of-flight (nTOF) signals from current mode detectors employed at the Z-facility at Sandia National Laboratories requires that the instrument response functions (IRF's) be deconvolved from the measured nTOF signals. A calibration facility that produces detectable sub-ns radiation pulses is typically used to measure the IRF of such detectors. This work, however, reports on a simple method that utilizes cosmic radiation to measure the IRF of nTOF detectors, operated in pulse-counting mode. The characterizing metrics reported here are the throughput delay and full-width-at-half-maximum. This simple approach yields consistent IRF results with the same detectors calibrated in 2007 at a LINAC bremsstrahlung accelerator (Idaho State University). In particular, the IRF metrics from these two approaches and their dependence on the photomultipliers bias agree to within a few per cent. This information may thus be used to verify if the IRF for a given nTOF detector employed at Z has changed since its original current-mode calibration and warrants re-measurement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bonura
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories, Diagnostics and Target Physics, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111, USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories, Diagnostics and Target Physics, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111, USA.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Fehl
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories, Diagnostics and Target Physics, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories, Diagnostics and Target Physics, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111, USA.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Styron
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories, Diagnostics and Target Physics, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Torres