Helium-3 Neutron Detectors 50 mm diameter

Features

• Passive or active non destructive analysis of nuclear material
• Surveillance of fissile material (Safeguard)
• Entrance and exit control of nuclear sites
• Material assessment within nuclear sites
• Waste measurement for optimization of storage management
• Very high sensitivity
• Active length from 5 cm to 1 m
• Helium-3 pressure: from 2 to 5 bars
• Electrical output on HN connector
• Alumine end window for neutron scattering

Description

The 50 mm diameter neutron detectors are the most sensitive thermal neutron detectors available on the market.

Therefore, in the frame of the Homeland Security programs, they represent the best choice for ultrasensitive detection of fissile materials at the exit of the nuclear fuel cycle factories, borders and at the vicinity of harbours and airports.
For example, these detectors allow to perform material assessments and thus efficiently participate to Safeguard actions.

In the field of nuclear waste management, the estimation of very low quantities of alpha emitters allows for waste sorting before sending them to specialized storage sites (sea level or underground), with respect to the more and more stringent regulations aiming for storage cost optimization.

A heavy gas (generally Argon) may be added to Helium-3 to improve the measurement specifications at high count rates by using a fast amplifier. This add-on gas increases both operating high voltage and length of the high voltage plateau, improves the thermal peak resolution and decreases the wall effects; it also increases the sensitivity to gamma rays, and also lightly the background.

For neutron scattering experiments, the detector series equipped with a thin alumina end window feature low absorbtion (2% for thermal neutrons), high detection efficiency (uniform on the whole detection surface) and excellent count rate stability (better than 10^-3 within 48 hours).