PULSE SHAPE DISCRIMINATION TECHNIQUES FOR DUAL-MODE SCINTILLATOR DETECTORS

An improved dual mode scintillator detector is described that performs pulse shape discrimination of incident neutrons and gamma rays. The detector may comprise a dual mode scintillator coupled to two shaping amplifiers with different shaping times. A luminescence signal produced by the scintillator will generally produce two different signals from the shaping amplifiers, and the relative amplitudes of these signals may allow for gamma-neutron discrimination. For instance, if the scintillator produces a luminescence signal over a shorter time period for one type of incident particle (e.g., gamma events) and produces a luminescence signal over a longer time period for the other type of incident particle (e.g., neutron events), the relative amplitudes of the signals produced by each shaping amplifier can allow for gamma-neutron discrimination.