Mechanism of neutron measurement based on lanthanum bromide detector

Abstract

Theoretical analysis, Monte Carlo simulation, and laboratory measurement are combined in this paper to solve the inapplicability problem of the lanthanum bromide detector for neutron detection outside of the laboratory. Starting from the microscopic physical process, the interaction types, reaction cross-sections, and reaction products of the interaction between neutrons and lanthanum bromide are analyzed. Results show that the neutrons can be directly measured by the lanthanum bromide detector using the de-excited γ-rays generated by the inelastic scattering of neutrons and lanthanum bromide crystals. The research results lay a physical foundation for lanthanum bromide neutron detection and also provide a prerequisite for its application in neutron/γ mixed radiation field measurement.