Developing a Next-Generation Neutron Detector

The MoNA Collaboration has been utilizing the MoNA-LISA neutron detector array for over 20 years for the investigation of neutron-unbound states in invariant mass measurements. One of the main limiting factors in the resolution of the extracted decay energy spectra is due to the position resolution of the neutron detector. The Collaboration has set out to develop a next generation neutron detector in an attempt to overcome this limitation. The new dector will use SiPM sensors to read out the scintillation light of the plastic scintillator. A test kit for the evaluation of SiPM sensors and for benchmarking of detector simulations has been developed. The test kit uses a simple custom PCB design and off-the-shelf components to construct a small scintillation detector. The detector is being read out by a desktop waveform digitizer. With this test kit, undergraduate students learn basic principles of scintillation detector assembly and perform tests using cosmic ray muons and radioactive sources. The results of the measurements are used to benchmark our detector simulation and to optimize the new detector design.