A neutron flux monitor for a reactor neutron beam facility

A neutron beam monitor with
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Li scintillator glass has been developed for the neutron beam facility at the Ohio State University Research Reactor. The beam monitor is primarily intended to monitor neutron flux and provide safety indications to researchers entering or working in the experimental area. A large LED display of the beam monitor offers an independent safety feature at the facility and enables a standalone operation. Preliminary measurements revealed nonlinearity in the response of the beam monitor to neutron flux, which is attributed to the saturation of current in the photomultiplier tube (PMT), the inherent gamma sensitivity of the
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Li glass, and the non-linearity of the scintillator. A silicon (Si) PIN photodiode is also being studied as an alternative to the PMT.