title: Study of a10B+ZnS(Ag) neutron detector as an alternative to3He-based detectors in Homeland Security.
abstract: The response of a scintillation neutron detector of ZnS(Ag) with10B was calculated, using the MCNPX Monte Carlo Code. The detector consists of four panels of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and five thin layers of ~0.017cm thick10B+ZnS(Ag) in contact with the PMMA. The response was calculated for the bare detector and with different thicknesses of High Density Polyethylene, HDPE, moderator for 29 monoenergetic sources as well as241AmBe and252Cf neutrons sources. In these calculations the reaction rate10B(n, α)7Li and the neutron fluence in the sensitive area of the detector10B+ZnS(Ag) was estimated. Measurements were made at the Neutron Measurements Laboratory, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, LMN-UPM, to quantify the detections in counts per second in response to a252Cf neutron source separated 200cm. The MCNPX computations were compared with measurements to estimate the efficiency of ZnS(Ag) for detecting the α that is created in the10B(n, α)7Li reaction. After validating new models with different geometries it will be possible to improve the detector response trying to achieve a sensitivity of 2.5cps-ng252Cf comparable with the response requirements for3He detectors installed in the Radiation Portal Monitors, RPMs. This type of detector can be considered an alternative to the3He detectors for detection of Special Nuclear Material, SNM.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETSI Industriales, Departamento de Ingeniería Energética, C. José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: ingkarenguzman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Guzmán-García
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica de Estudios Nucleares de la UAZ, C. Ciprés, 10, 98068 Zacatecas, Mexico.
authors.forename: Héctor René
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Vega-Carrillo
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETSI Industriales, Departamento de Ingeniería Energética, C. José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETSI Industriales, Departamento de Ingeniería Energética, C. José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lorente-Fillol
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, CIEMAT, Avenida Complutense, 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Méndez-Villafañe
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Laboratorio de Ingeniería Nuclear, Campus Cuidad Universitaria, C. Prof. Aranguren, 3, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETSI Industriales, Departamento de Ingeniería Energética, C. José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Sviatoslav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ibañez-Fernandez
keywords: MCNPX; Neutron detection; Radiation portal monitors; Special nuclear materials