Digital Pulse Shape Discrimination Method for D–D Neutron Spectrometry Using the LaCl3(Ce) Scintillator

The problem of neutron spectroscopy of plasma is substantial in modern magnetic confinement fusion experiments. Most machines operate with deuterium plasma emitting neutrons with energies of ~2.5 MeV. This paper demonstrates the possibility of a digital method for separating signals according to the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) of a scintillation detector based on a LaCl 3 (Ce) crystal when detecting neutrons and γ-quanta. The analysis of the shape of pulses produced by α particles, neutrons and γ-quanta is carried out. The optimal PSD parameters of a signal separation, namely the figure-of-merit parameters (1.1 for n –γ and 2.1 for α–γ), have been determined. The results demonstrate the promise of using the LaCl 3 (Ce) scintillation spectrometer with digital PSD as a D–D neutron spectrometer in modern controlled thermonuclear fusion facilities.