• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4057-4065
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• 2023

Organic scintillators are widely used for neutron/gamma detection. Pulse shape discrimination algorithms have been commonly used to discriminate the detected radiations. These algorithms have several limits, in particular with plastic scintillator which has lower discrimination ability, compared to liquid scintillator. Recently, machine learning (ML) models have been explored to enhance discrimination performance. Nevertheless, obtaining an accurate ML model or evaluating any discrimination approach requires a reference neutron dataset. The preparation of this is challenging because neutron sources are also gamma-ray emitters. Therefore, this paper proposes a pipeline to prepare clean labeled neutron/gamma datasets acquired by an organic scintillator. The method is mainly based on a Time of Flight setup and Tail-to-Total integral ratio (TTT_ratio) discrimination algorithm. In the presented case, EJ276 plastic scintillator and ²⁵²Cf source were used to implement the acquisition chain. The results showed that this process can identify and remove mislabeled samples in the entire ToF spectrum, including those that contribute to peak values. Furthermore, the process cleans ToF dataset from pile-up events, which can significantly impact experimental results and the conclusions extracted from them.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2009

Remote detecting system for a radiation contamination using a plastic scintillator and an optical fiber was developed. Using a commercially available silica optical fiber and a plastic scintillator, we tested then for a real possibility as a remote monitoring detector. Also, a plastic scintillator was developed by itself, and evaluated as a radiation sensor. The plastic scintillator was made of epoxy resin, a hardener and an organic scintillation material. The mixture rate of the epoxy resin, hardener and organic scintillator was fixed by using their emission spectrum, transmittance, intensity etc. In this study, in order to decrease the light loss of an incomplete connection between an optical fiber and a scintillator, the optical fiber was inserted into the scintillator during the fabrication process. The senor used a plastic optical fiber and was estimated for its detection efficiency by an optic fiber's geometric factor.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2023

Commercially used organic scintillation materials (1,4 di[2-(5phenyloxazolyl)] benzene) have low solubility in solvents and a wide emission energy range, which causes a decrease in detection efficiency. In this study, an organic liquid scintillator with improved detection efficiency was developed using 7-Diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin material to compensate for the disadvantages of existing organic scintillation detectors. And to evaluate the applicability of radiation measurement, the performance of a commercial plastic detector was compared. As a result of analyzing the ⁶⁰Co detection characteristics by applying 7-Diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin as an alternative to 1,4 di[2-(5phenyloxazolyl)] benzene, the detection efficiency was improved around 2% compared with commercial scintillator when the 7-Diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin content was 0.04 wt%. Based on the results of this study, the possibility of improving detection efficiency through scintillator material modification was confirmed. In addition, since it is possible to discriminate nuclide through the spectrum correction algorithm, it will be possible to inspect and classify various decommissioning wastes generated during the decommissioning process.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.637-642
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• 2016

In this study, we prepared and characterized a acrylate based UV-curable plastic scintillator. It was used co-polymers TMPTA, DHPA and Ultima $Gold^{TM}$ LLT organic scintillator. The emission spectrum of the plastic scintillator was located in the range of 380~520 nm, peaking at 423 nm. And the scintillator is more than 50% transparent in the range of 400~800 nm. The emission spectrum is well match to the quantum efficiency of photo-multiplier tube and the fast decay time of the scintillation is 12 ns, approximately. This scintillation material provides the possibility of combining 3D printing technology, and then the applications of the plastic scintillator may be expected in human dosimetry etc.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.167-171
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• 2016

The scintillation efficiency of the polystyrene based plastic scintillator depends on the ratio of the wavelength shifters, organic fluors(PPO and POPOP). Thus, 24 samples of the plastic scintillator were fabricated in order to find out the optimum ratio of the wavelength shifters in the plastic scintillator. The fabricated plastic scintillators were trimmed through a cutting and polishing process. They were used in gamma energy spectrum measurement with the $^{137}Cs$ emitting mono-energy photon with 662 keV for the comparison of the scintillation efficiency. As a result, it was found out that the scintillator sample with 1.00 g of PPO (2,5-Diphenyloxazole) and 0.50 g of POPOP (1,4-Bis(5-phnyl-2oxidazolyl)benzene) dissolved in 100 g of styrene solution has the optimum ratio in terms of the light yield of the polystyrene based plastic scintillator.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 2019

Background: As neutron fields are always accompanied by gamma rays, it is essential to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays in the detection of neutrons. Neutrons and gamma rays can be separated by pulse shape discrimination (PSD) methods. Recently, we performed characterization of a stilbene scintillator detector and an EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector with a high-speed digitizer DT5730 and investigated optimized PSD variables for both detectors. This study is for providing a basis for developing fast neutron/gamma-ray dual-particle imager. Materials and Methods: We conducted PSD experiments using stilbene scintillator and EJ-301 liquid scintillator and evaluated neutron and gamma ray discriminability of each PSD method with a $^{137}Cs$ gamma source and a $^{252}Cf$ neutron source. We implemented digital signal processing techniques to apply two PSD methods - the charge comparison (CC) method and the constant time discrimination (CTD) method - to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays. We tried to find optimized PSD variables giving the best discriminability in a given experimental condition. Results and Discussion: For the stilbene scintillator detector, the charge comparison method and the constant time discrimination method both delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.7. For the EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector, both PSD methods delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.79. With the same PSD variables, PSD performance was excellent in $300{\pm}100keVee$, $500{\pm}100keVee$, and $700{\pm}100keVee$ energy regions. This result shows that we can achieve an effective discrimination of neutrons from gamma rays using these scintillator detector systems. Conclusion: We applied both PSD methods to a stilbene and a liquid scintillator and optimized the PSD performance represented by FOM values. We observed a good separation performance of both scintillators combined with a high-speed digitizer and digital PSD. These results will provide reference values for the dual-particle imager we are developing, which can image both fast neutrons and gamma rays simultaneously.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2008

Dual scintillator for simultaneous alpha- and beta-ray counting used by detection materials of a surface contamination monitor was developed. In this study, preparation method was not a heat melting method but a solvent method, by which the counting material was manufactured by dissolving the polymer materials with solvent. It was simplified the preparation process. Plastic scintillator for beta-ray counting was prepared by solidifying the casting solution mixed with organic scintillator, polymer, and solvent. ZnS(Ag) scintillator layer was prepared by screen printing the paste solution mixed with ZnS(Ag), paste, and solvent onto the plastic layer. The good counting ability for alpha- and beta-ray using the ZnS(Ag)/plastic dual scintillator prepared and possibility for the counting material of surface contamination monitor was confirmed.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.226-231
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• 2017

The aim is to investigate the spectra responsibilities of QD (Quantum Dot) for the innovation of new dosimetry application for therapeutic Megavoltage X-ray range. The unique electrical and optical properties of QD are expected to make it a good sensing material for dosimeter. This study shows the spectra responsibility of toluene based ZnCd QD and PPO (2.5-diphenyloxazol) mixed liquid scintillator. The QDs of 4 sizes corresponding to an emission wavelength (ZnCdSe/ZnS:$440{\pm}5nm$, ZnCdSeS:470, 500, $570{\pm}5nm$) were utilized. A liquid scintillator for control sample was made of toluene, PPO. The Composition of QD loaded scintillators are about 99 wt% Toluene as solvent, 1 wt% of PPO as primary scintillator and 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 wt% of QDs as solute. For the spectra responsibility of QD scintillation, they were irradiated for 30 second with 6 MV beam from a LINAC ($Infinity^{TM}$, Elekta). With the guidance of 1.0 mm core diameter optical fiber, scintillation spectrums were measured by a compact CCD spectrometer which could measure 200~1,000 nm wavelength range (CCS200, Thorlabs). We measured the spectra responsibilities of QD loaded organic liquid scintillators in two scintillation mechanisms. First was the direct transfer and second was using wave shifter. The emission peaks from the direct transfer were measured to be much smaller luminescent intensity than based on the wavelength shift from the PPO to QDs. The emission peak was shifted from PPO emission wavelength 380 nm to each emission wavelength of loaded QD. In both mechanisms, 500 nm QD loaded samples were observed to radiate in the highest luminescence intensity. We observed the spectra responsibility of QD doped toluene based liquid scintillator in order to innovate QD dosimetry applicator. The liquid scintillator loading 0.2 wt% of 500 nm emission wavelength QD has most superior responsibility at 6 MV photon beam. In this study we observed the spectra responsibilities for therapeutic X-ray range. It would be the first step of innovating new radiation dosimetric methods for radiation treatment.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.462-469
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• 2008

In this study, we have fabricated a fiber-optic radiation sensor using an organic scintillator and plastic optical fiber for brachytherapy dosimetry. Also, we have measured relative depth dose rates of Ir-192 source using a fiber-optic sensor and compared them with the results obtained using a conventional EBT film. Cerenkov lights which can be a noise in measuring scintillating light with a fiber-optic sensor are measured and eliminated by using of a background optical fiber. It is expected that a fiber-optic radiation sensor can be used in brachytherapy dosimetry due to its advantages such as a low cost, simple usage and a small volume.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.621-626
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• 2017

In this paper, an optical dosimetric system for radiation dose measurement is developed and characterized for 100 MeV proton beams in KOMAC(Korea Multi-Purpose Accelerator Complex). The system consists of 10 wt% Ultima GoldTM liquid organic scintillator in the ethanol, a camera lens(50 mm / f1.8), and a high sensitivity CMOS(complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) camera (ASI120MM, ZWO Co.). The FOV(field of view) of the system is designed to be 150 mm at a distance of 2 m. This system showed sufficient linearity in the range of 1~40 Gy for the 100 MeV proton beams in KOMAC. We also successfully got the percentage depth dose and the isodose curves of the 100 MeV proton beams from the captured images. Because the solvent is not a human tissue equivalent material, we can not directly measure the absorbed dose of the human body. Through this study, we have established the optical dosimetric procedure and propose a new volume dose assessment method.