Sep 1 2008
Applied Scintillation Technologies (AST) is delighted to announce that it has delivered the final neutron detection modules for use in the neutron detectors for the VULCAN engineering diffractometer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in the USA.
AST is a leading manufacturer of glass scintillators and neutron screens which are in use at many of the world’s leading high energy physics research facilities.
The modules consist of a 4 X 2 array of screens which feature an optimised blend of 6Li compounds and phosphors in a ridged design to accommodate a network of overlaid, wavelength shifting optical fibres. The modules are supplied as an array of tiles mounted on a specially designed back tray with the ridges aligned ready for the optical fibres to be fitted at ORNL. The optical fibres are coupled to photomultiplier tubes which collect the light output from the detector and provide co-incidence counting and position coding to allow 2-D detection of neutron events.
AST Sales and Commercial Director, Stuart Quinn, commented: “This order of 8 modules, valued in excess of $180,000, completes the 12 modules needed for VULCAN. We were delighted to be able to deliver these modules six weeks ahead of schedule. The neutron screens will be used both on VULCAN’s wide angle and narrow angle detectors. The modular design means that this detection principle can be readily adapted for other instruments that form part of the Spallation Neutron Source project for neutron scattering R&D”.
VULCAN is designed to tackle a variety of problems in materials science and engineering, ranging from determining residual stress in engineering components to understanding the fundamental aspects of materials behaviour during processing and use. VULCAN can help scientists and engineers test the reliability of structural components and better understand how materials deform.
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