We introduce the LUNA neutron detector array developed for the investigation of the 13C(α, n)16O reaction towards its astrophysical s-process Gamow peak in the low-background environment of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS). Eighteen 3He counters are arranged in two different configurations (in a vertical and a horizontal orientation) to optimize neutron detection efficiency, target handling and target cooling over the investigated energy range Eα,lab=300−400 keV (En=2.2−2.6MeV in emitted neutron energy). As a result of the deep underground location, the passive shielding of the setup and active background suppression using pulse shape discrimination, we reached a total background rate of 1.23±0.12 counts/hour. This resulted in an improvement of two orders of magnitude over the state of the art allowing a direct measurement of the 13C(α, n)16O cross-section down to Eα,lab=300 keV. The absolute neutron detection efficiency of the setup was determined using the 51V(p,n)51Cr reaction and an AmBe radioactive source, and completed with a Geant4 simulation. We determined a (34 ± 3)% and (38 ± 3)% detection efficiency for the vertical and horizontal configurations, respectively, for En=2.4MeV neutrons.
Characterization of the LUNA neutron detector array for the measurement of the 13C(α, n)16O reaction / Csedreki, L.; Ciani, G. F.; Balibrea-Correa, J.; Best, A.; Aliotta, M.; Barile, F.; Bemmerer, D.; Boeltzig, A.; Broggini, C.; Bruno, C. G.; Caciolli, A.; Cavanna, F.; Chillery, T.; Colombetti, P.; Corvisiero, P.; Davinson, T.; Depalo, R.; Di Leva, A.; Elekes, Z.; Ferraro, F.; Fiore, E. M.; Formicola, A.; Fulop, Z.; Gervino, G.; Guglielmetti, A.; Gustavino, C.; Gyurky, G.; Imbriani, G.; Janas, Z.; Junker, M.; Kochanek, I.; Lugaro, M.; Marigo, P.; Masha, E.; Mazzocchi, C.; Menegazzo, R.; Mossa, V.; Pantaleo, F. R.; Paticchio, V.; Perrino, R.; Piatti, D.; Prati, P.; Schiavulli, L.; Stockel, K.; Straniero, O.; Szucs, T.; Takacs, M. P.; Terrasi, F.; Zavatarelli, S.. - In: NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH. SECTION A, ACCELERATORS, SPECTROMETERS, DETECTORS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT. - ISSN 0168-9002. - 994:(2021), p. 165081. [10.1016/j.nima.2021.165081]
Characterization of the LUNA neutron detector array for the measurement of the 13C(α, n)16O reaction
Best A.;Boeltzig A.;Di Leva A.;Imbriani G.;
2021
Abstract
We introduce the LUNA neutron detector array developed for the investigation of the 13C(α, n)16O reaction towards its astrophysical s-process Gamow peak in the low-background environment of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS). Eighteen 3He counters are arranged in two different configurations (in a vertical and a horizontal orientation) to optimize neutron detection efficiency, target handling and target cooling over the investigated energy range Eα,lab=300−400 keV (En=2.2−2.6MeV in emitted neutron energy). As a result of the deep underground location, the passive shielding of the setup and active background suppression using pulse shape discrimination, we reached a total background rate of 1.23±0.12 counts/hour. This resulted in an improvement of two orders of magnitude over the state of the art allowing a direct measurement of the 13C(α, n)16O cross-section down to Eα,lab=300 keV. The absolute neutron detection efficiency of the setup was determined using the 51V(p,n)51Cr reaction and an AmBe radioactive source, and completed with a Geant4 simulation. We determined a (34 ± 3)% and (38 ± 3)% detection efficiency for the vertical and horizontal configurations, respectively, for En=2.4MeV neutrons.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
