Speaker
Description
The construction, user operation, and Phase-II upgrade of the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) impose diverse requirements on neutron detectors, including large-area coverage, high detection efficiency, high counting-rate capability, high spatial and temporal resolution, and long-term operational reliability. To meet the scientific requirements of different neutron instruments, the Detector and Electronics Group at CSNS has continuously developed neutron detectors, dedicated readout electronics, and data acquisition systems. A comprehensive detector technology portfolio has been established, covering ^3He-based gas detectors, 6LiF/ZnS(Ag) scintillation detectors, ^10B-based microstructured gas detectors, neutron imaging detectors, as well as dedicated ASICs and DAQ systems.
For gas detectors, the group has developed ^3He tube arrays and ^3He multi-wire proportional chambers (MWPCs), while continuously advancing the localization of position-sensitive 3He tubes and their key components. Indigenous capabilities covering detector tubes, readout electronics, array integration, and performance characterization have been established, providing an important technical basis for the domestic supply of key neutron detector components. For large-area scintillation detectors, continuous developments have been carried out based on ^6LiF/ZnS(Ag) neutron conversion screens, wavelength-shifting fibers, and SiPM readout. Through optimization of neutron conversion structures, light collection and optical coupling, position reconstruction, and highly integrated electronics, significant improvements in detection efficiency, spatial resolution, and counting-rate capability have been achieved. These detector systems have been deployed on several neutron instruments at CSNS. In parallel, 10B-based GEM and other emerging gas-detector technologies are being investigated as alternative solutions to 3He detectors and for applications requiring higher counting rates.
For neutron imaging, the group has developed two-dimensional position-sensitive detection technologies toward higher detection efficiency and improved spatial and temporal resolution. Research activities include energy-resolved neutron imaging detectors, high-resolution scintillation imaging detectors, and high-speed pixelated detector technologies. Combined with the time-of-flight technique available at a pulsed neutron source, these detectors enable simultaneous acquisition of neutron energy and two-dimensional spatial information, providing multidimensional characterization capabilities for internal structures, defects, and energy-dependent properties of advanced materials and engineering components.
In parallel with detector development, low-noise, low-power, and highly integrated dedicated ASICs, FPGA-based real-time signal processing, event reconstruction, and networked DAQ technologies have been developed, establishing a complete technology chain from neutron conversion materials and detector devices to front-end electronics, data acquisition, and reconstruction algorithms. This contribution will present the major detector technologies, recent technical advances, and instrument applications at CSNS, and will discuss future neutron detector developments toward higher flux, higher counting rates, and improved spatial and temporal resolution for CSNS-II.