Modeling interactions of intermediate-energy neutrons in a plastic scintillator array with GEANT4

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-1-2012

Publication Source

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

Volume Number

682

First Page

59

Last Page

65

Publisher

Elsevier

ISSN

0168-9002

Abstract

A Monte Carlo simulation of a large-area neutron time-of-flight detector, built on the GEANT4 framework, has been compared with an experimental measurement of the B-16 -> B-15 + n decay produced from a 55 MeV/u C-17 beam. The ability of the Monte Carlo simulation to reproduce the intermediate-energy neutron interactions within the detector has been explored using both the stock GEANT4Physics processes and a custom neutron interaction model, MENATE_R. The stock GEANT4Physics processes were unable to reproduce the experimental observables, while excellent agreement was obtained through the inclusion of the MENATE_R model within GEANT4. The differences between the two approaches are shown to be related to the modeling of the neutron-carbon inelastic reactions. Additionally, the use of MENATE_R provided accurate reproduction of experimental signals associated with neutron scattering within the detector. These results provide validation of the Monte Carlo simulation for modeling measurements of multiple neutrons where the identification and removal of false neutron signals, due to multiple neutron scattering, are required. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Monte Carlo simulation; Plastic scintillator array; Neutron detection; GEANT4; Neutron simulation; Cross-talk

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