Calibration of LiBaF3:Ce scintillator for fission spectrum neutrons

The scintillator LiBaF3 doped with small amounts of Ce+3 has the ability to distinguish heavy charged particles (p, d, t, or alpha) from beta and/or gamma radiation based on the presence or absence of nanosecond components in the scintillation light output, Since the neutron capture reaction on Li-6 produces recoil alphas and tritons, this scintillator also discriminates between neutron induced events and beta or gamma interactions. An experimental technique using a time-tagged Cf-252 source has been used to measure the efficiency of this scintillator for neutron capture, the calibration of neutron capture pulse height, and the pulse height resolution-all as a function of incident neutron energy. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.