Geant4 Simulations of the DESCANT Neutron Detector Array at TRIUMF

Joseph Turko, Vinzenz Bildstein, Evan Rand, and Paul Garrett*

University of Guelph, Department of Physics
DESCANT - DEuterated SCintillator
Array for Neutron Tagging

Lead Shield Simulations

8 DESCANT detectors will be used in upcoming TRIUMF
experiments studying the decays of neutron-rich 128-132Cd
and 130-131In
Detectors will be placed in auxiliary ports to help develop
DESCANT firmware
Potential issue: interference caused by backscattering
gamma rays off the DESCANT lead shields into GRIFFIN
10 million mono-energetic gamma-rays were simulated in
various setups of the GRIFFIN array:
GRIFFIN + DESCANT with lead shields
GRIFFIN + DESCANT without lead shields
GRIFFIN DESCANT

GRIFFIN Mono-energetic Gamma-RaySpectra

GRIFFIN + DESCANT Setup

Gamma Ray Suppression

Auxiliary detector for the GRIFFIN and TIGRESS

spectrometers at TRIUMF, Vancouver
Composed of 70 close-packed hexagonal scintillators filled
with approximately 2 litres of deuterated benzene (C6 D6 ),
where hydrogen is replaced by its heavier isotope deuterium

GEANT4 GEometry ANd Tracking

1 million 1000 keV gamma rays fired at a prototype
DESCANT detector with and without lead shields
Simulation shows a clear suppression of gamma ray
hits in the DESCANT prototype with the lead shields
By scaling the photopeak, ~ 62.7 % of the 1000 keV
gamma-rays penetrate the lead shield without
interacting

Developed by CERN, Geant4 is a Monte Carlo C++ toolkit for

modeling and tracking the passage of particles through matter

RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN 2012

www.PosterPresentations.com

From the simulations, we can see that the GRIFFIN detector response is only effected at low energies
With just the DESCANT detectors placed (no lead shielding), it appears the low energy background increases: most likely
due to backscattering gammas into nearby GRIFFIN detectors
With the addition of the lead shielding, the simulation shows that the low energy gamma background is in fact
supressed:
Backscattering gammas with reduced energies cannot penetrate the lead shield to reach the neighbouring
GRIFFIN detectors
Adjacent GRIFFIN detectors see the lead shield at an angle, increasing its effective thickness
The simulation also shows a slight increase in the 511 keV , due to more material to cause pair production
Conclusion: lead shielding should remain on DESCANT detectors; no distortion to GRIFFIN signal

Acknowledgements
University of Guelph
E. Rand, V. Bildstein, G. Demand, A. MacLean, P. Garrett, C. Svensson
TRIUMF
A. Garnsworthy, J. Smith