Abstract Activation materials implanted within radiation detectors can be used to measure pulsed neutron fields. This work develops an instrument concept with the aim to maximise sensitivity to pulsed fusion neutron fields and, using a data-rejection algorithm combined with backwards extrapolation, enable neutron fluence estimates to be made over a large dynamic range. Through high-fidelity modelling of residual temporal emissions, and a parameterised approach, we study the sensitivity to neutrons of a plastic scintillator–Ag foil layer detector concept. For an optimal design we apply paralysable and non-paralysable deadtime models to the predicted response to D–D fusion neutron fields at various neutron field intensities. In high neutron fluence irradiation scenarios, where deadtime effects are strongly evident, we use our approach to make estimates of the fluence from instrument response data. We discuss the practical applications of such diagnostics used for plasma focus (PF) fusion experiments, such as at the PF-1000U facility in IPPLM, Poland, inertial confinement fusion and pulsed tokamak experiments, for example at MAST-U, where such diagnostics could complement fission counter-based neutron diagnostics in the future. Finally, we show that the calibration of such detection systems may be achieved using relatively low emission rate, steady state neutron sources, with calibration factors that are straightforward to apply to pulsed neutron field measurements.

中文翻译：

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脉冲中子源测量的反向外推激活诊断及其动态范围

摘要 植入辐射探测器内的活化材料可用于测量脉冲中子场。这项工作开发了一种仪器概念，旨在最大限度地提高对脉冲聚变中子场的灵敏度，并使用数据拒绝算法与反向外推相结合，能够在大动态范围内进行中子注量估计。通过残余时间发射的高保真建模和参数化方法，我们研究了塑料闪烁体-银箔层探测器概念对中子的敏感性。为了优化设计，我们将可麻痹和不可麻痹的死区时间模型应用于在不同中子场强度下对 D-D 聚变中子场的预测响应。在高中子通量辐照场景中，死区时间效应非常明显，我们使用我们的方法根据仪器响应数据估计通量。我们讨论了用于等离子体聚焦 (PF) 聚变实验的此类诊断的实际应用，例如在波兰 IPPLM 的 PF-1000U 设施、惯性约束聚变和脉冲托卡马克实验，例如在 MAST-U，在那里此类诊断可以将来补充基于裂变计数器的中子诊断。最后，我们表明可以使用相对较低的发射率、稳态中子源来实现此类检测系统的校准，校准因子可直接应用于脉冲中子场测量。波兰，惯性约束聚变和脉冲托卡马克实验，例如在 MAST-U，这些诊断可以在未来补充基于裂变计数器的中子诊断。最后，我们表明可以使用相对较低的发射率、稳态中子源来实现此类检测系统的校准，校准因子可直接应用于脉冲中子场测量。波兰，惯性约束聚变和脉冲托卡马克实验，例如在 MAST-U，这些诊断可以在未来补充基于裂变计数器的中子诊断。最后，我们表明可以使用相对较低的发射率、稳态中子源来实现此类检测系统的校准，校准因子可直接应用于脉冲中子场测量。