Fast neutron response characterization of an EJ-276 plastic scintillator for use as a neutron monitor

EJ-276 is a recent development in plastic scintillators that comes with improved pulse shape discrimination over its predecessor EJ-299-33. In this work, the neutron response functions, proton light output function, and detection efficiency of EJ-276 were measured using mono-energetic neutron reference fields at the national metrology laboratory, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, in the neutron energy range 1.5-19 MeV. In particular, the proton light output in the range 14-19 MeV is presented for the first time. The optimization of Pulse Shape Discrimination has also been investigated using an 241Am-Be source and results are presented. Finally, we study how, using a shadow-cone method and time of flight method, we can discriminate scattered and other spurious neutrons from the mono-energetic beam. The characterized EJ-276 detector is to be used in the monitor of the neutron fields and gamma background at the new Neutron Irradiation Laboratory for Electronics facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.