Development of a Multi-Signature Composite Detector Based on CLYC and Plastic Scintillator

A single detector instrument capable of detecting gamma rays as well as fast and thermal neutrons is of great interest for many applications, including nuclear nonproliferation and international safeguards. The Cs
₂
LiYCl
₆
(CLYC) scintillator is very promising for mixed radiation field detection: it has high detection efficiency for thermal neutrons and gamma rays, and has good energy resolution (approx. 5% at 662 keV). In addition, CLYC provides fast neutron detection capabilities due to
³⁵
Cl(n, p) reaction [1 - 2]. To increase the that efficiency, while preserving the thermal neutron and gamma ray capabilities, we are developing a composite scintillator whereby CLYC is embedded inside of a plastic organic scintillator capable of pulse shape discrimination. Figure 1 shows one possible embodiment of such a detector.