NeuLAND: The high-resolution neutron time-of-flight spectrometer for (RB)-B-3 at FAIR

NeuLAND (New Large-Area Neutron Detector) is the next-generation neutron detector for the (RB)-B-3 (Reactions with Relativistic Radioactive Beams) experiment at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research). NeuLAND detects neutrons with energies from 100 to 1000 MeV, featuring a high detection efficiency, a high spatial and time resolution, and a large multi-neutron reconstruction efficiency. This is achieved by a highly granular design of organic scintillators: 3000 individual submodules with a size of 5 x 5 x 250 cm(3) are arranged in 30 double planes with 100 submodules each, providing an active area of 250 x 250 cm(2) and a total depth of 3 m. The spatial resolution due to the granularity together with a time resolution of sigma(t) <= 150 ps ensures highresolution capabilities. In conjunction with calorimetric properties, a multi-neutron reconstruction efficiency of 50% to 70% for four-neutron events will be achieved, depending on both the emission scenario and the boundary conditions allowed for the reconstruction method. We present in this paper the final design of the detector as well as results from test measurements and simulations on which this design is based.

Automated summary

NeuLAND is the next-generation neutron detector for the RB-3 experiment at FAIR, capable of detecting neutrons with energies from 100 to 1000 MeV, with high efficiency, resolution, and reconstruction capabilities.