Development of Compact Neutron Detectors using Pulse Shape Analysis

The project aims at developing a compact, low power neutron detector, which can identify neutrons in a background of other sources of ionising radiation exploiting differences in the time behaviour of the excitation and de-excitation of the scintillation material used. Such a detector system will find widespread applications in nuclear monitoring, nuclear safeguarding and homeland security.

The work will focus on studying four novel scintillation materials, aimed at neutrons of differieren energies. It will used low power semiconductor sensors and wave form digitisers to record and study the pulse shape of the output light as a function of time and for different types of incident radiation, from neutrons to alpha, beta and gamma radiation. The recorded wave forms will be studied offline using computing algorithms to extract the best figure of merit, identifying the most promising method with the highest signal-to-noise ratio. In the next step, this algorithm will be implemented into experimental hardware, either using FPGA based solutions or in analogue electronics to allow real-time discrimination between radiation types.

The detector system will then be tested against radiation sources at the University of Glasgow as well as in end-user focussed facilities at AWE.

Maximising impact is at the heart of the NuSec network, through the use of a range of funded impact activities that lie at the heart of the network's objectives. In this extension proposal we will continue to identify pathways to impact across the broad range of network activities.

Here we describe the wider impact that the NuSec network has achieved during Phase 1, and will continue to deliver in Phase 2.

1. The Beneficiaries
(i) Society - the nuclear security agenda is critical to national safeguarding and to the protection of society. A strong engagement between government agencies, academic and industry generates a benefit for all of society. A good example from Phase 1 of the network was our NuSec workshop on alternative technologies for the oil well logging industry. This brought together ~30 senior oil industry experts from Europe and US for a 2 day workshop at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Cambridge University.
(ii) People - the network continues to provide cross-fertilisation of technical expertise between research disciplines and the integration of the various stakeholder communities. Those engaging with the network extend their skills set and experience. The network offers grants to support a wide range of professional and researcher development skills, and to provide technical training opportunities to benefit researchers.

2. How the Network Activities will deliver Impact
The network delivers impact directly through its programme of regular and occasional activities.

Developing Strategic Partnerships
The network's primary objective has been to establish a forum for discussion and collaboration between the academic, industrial and defence sectors. This has accelerated the development of a strong research community in the nuclear science area, and has acted to broker interactions and partnership between the academic and MoD/Home Office communities. Our strategic partners each offer a unique input into the programme and are fully involved with the regular network meetings and technical workshops. Both the network's Management Group (MG) and End User Panel (EUP) are made up of key stakeholders who monitor the network's progress towards developing strategic partnerships. The independent Steering Board, representing the interests of the stakeholder groups, ensures the development of partnerships through these various activities.

Technology Development
The network will continue to receive direct funding from AWE to support pilot studies and small proof of concept studies. These are challenge-led projects that are focussed on the requirements of these government agency stakeholders. In this way the network develops technology demonstrators that address government requirements, for example as defined by the national counter terrorism strategy CONTEST which addresses the "...highest impact terrorist risks including even nuclear materials..." In Phase 1 of the network, NuSec awarded 15 of these pilot projects to UK Universities, which addresses technical challenges identified by the End Use Panel.

Dissemination activities
All network outputs are unclassified, and the majority are publicly available and openly disseminated, including technical workshop presentations, results from pilot studies, scoping documents and position papers. Dissemination uses a dedicated website to promote the network activities and outputs, and the University's Surrey Research Insight digital open access repository to store and disseminate network outputs and documents. The network showcase meeting will publicise the network outputs to a wider audience.

Supporting Researcher Engagement: The network will provide a series of opportunities for researchers to develop their technical skills and knowledge.

Full details are given in the separate Pathways to Impact Statement