Characterization of the CLYC detector for neutron and photon detection

Cs2LiYCI6 (CLYC) is a new scintillator that is suitable for dual gamma neutron detectors due to its gamma spectroscopic capabilities while producing monoenergetic pulses from neutron captures with Li-6. We present new characterization results for a 2 x 2 cm(2) CLYC crystal. The detector resolution was characterized using weak check photon sources including Cs-137, and the detector's neutron capture capabilities were characterized with several measurements of Cf-252 with varying thicknesses of polyethylene moderator. It was found that the Li-6 neutron capture rate was maximized when using approximately 7.6 cm of polyethylene moderator. A 5% resolution for the 662-keV line of Cs-137 and a 3.4% resolution of the Li-6 neutron capture peak were measured with our experimental set-up. MCNPX-PoliMi was used to model the measurements performed with the CLYC detector, and MPPost was used to determine the light output distribution, convert Li-6 neutron captures into light, and apply energy resolution. It was found that the modeling technique was capable of predicting Cs-137 photon light output distributions for all light output greater than 200 keVee, and also to predict the same optimal polyethylene thickness as the measurement. Intrinsic neutron capture efficiency was estimated to be about 10%, which is a factor-of-5 improvement over an equivalent volume of He-3 at a pressure of 10 atm. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.