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The European H2020 project, entitled “effective Container inspection at BORDer control points” (C-BORD), aims to develop a framework of Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies, for containers and large-volume freight at the EU borders. In this article the first results of the field trials of the Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (RRTNIS) are reported. The tests were carried out at the customs administration of the Netherlands' (DCA) facility in the seaport of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. For the tests mock-up cargo containers were prepared. The containers were analyzed using the whole set of NII subsystems of the C-BORD framework. Each container underwent a session of subsequent scans with all the subsystems, in order to realistically reproduce the normal flow of inspections at the customs facility. The RRTNIS was tested under these realistic conditions, as well. The system was able to separate and identify the target materials, in mock-up containers, and improve the state-of-the-art in terms of the detected quantities.

This report presents a concept of constructing a detector dedicated for detection of muons observed during measurements carried out at the MPD (Multi-Purpose Detector) detector that is currently under construction at the NICA facility, Russia, Dubna. It has been proposed to design and build an additional detector that will complement the current MPD set and increase its measurement capabilities. The main goal of this project is to provide information from cosmic muons that pass the MPD detector in both in-beam and off-beam experiments. Hence, the detector is called the MPD COsmic Ray Detector (MCORD).The conceptual design of MCORD is proposed by a Polish consortium NICA-PL comprising several Polish scientific institutions. The data from cosmic ray muons could be used as a trigger for calibration of other detection systems comprising the MPD detector. Large surface covered by the MCORD offers also possibility for efficient registration of muons generated in expanding atmospheric showers induced by distant sources. Moreover, beyond some energy threshold, observation of muons originating from decays of collision products will also be possible. In this report examples of the MCORD functionality as a part of the MPD detector are presented. The MCORD is designed as a universal, fast triggering system built as a modular reconfigurable construction. The detection system will be based on plastic scintillators equipped with wavelength shifting fibers, and silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) will be used for scintillation readout. The online analysis of received signals will be performed using digital FPGA modules. Due to the modular design, the same system (its small part) can be used for both laboratory testing of other MPD sub-detectors, and the calibration of these detectors after placing them inside the MPD in off-beam mode. The full detector will support these systems as an additional trigger, calibrator, and muon identifier during the normal operation of the MPD detector with the beam. Thanks to its unique construction, it will expand the possibilities of collecting scientific data of the MPD detector with astrophysical observations. The publication will show the assumptions of the mechanical structure and electronic systems of the planned detector. The installation site of the detector as part of the MPD detector will be described in detail. In the following, the results of simulations made in preparation for this project will be presented. In particular, simulations with the CORSIKA code present angular distributions of particles in cosmic showers in the Dubna city region. Since muons dominate the cosmic ray showers, the MPD detector response to expected cosmic muon flux was also simulated. The results provide information about the muon cut-off thresholds depending on the MPD detector composition during the installation campaign. Simulations of muon events that could be used for MPD subsystems calibration were also performed. The results shown for various configuration of MCORD detector modules will enable the estimation of the time necessary to perform such tests in the future. Simulations with UrQMD model shows the muon abundances due to beam-beam collisions. Approximately 90% of muons are created from pions, whereas the number of muons that reach the MCORD detector is 10 times greater than the number of pions. The MPD detector response was also simulated under the influence of a stream of various particles, especially muons. It shows energy dependence of muon transmission coefficient for MPD with and without ECal assembled. Assuming requirement for muon transmission above 95%, the muon cut-off thresholds are 1.6 GeV and 2.0 GeV, respectively. MCORD detector performance evaluation is also reported. In the case when we used scintillators with one fiber with a diameter of 1 mm, the time resolution of about 1.0 ns was recorded, which corresponds to the positional accuracy (σx) of 7.1 cm. The results of laboratory tests show that application of a 2 mm diameter WLS fiber instead of the previously used 1 mm diameter fiber improves the time resolution to 0.80 ns.

This article reports a detailed description of the integration tests of the first Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (RRTNIS) carried out at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra (Italy). This technology allows the detection and identification of suspicious or illicit materials (such as narcotics, explosives, contraband goods, etc.) inside a cargo container using active neutron interrogation, with the so-called associated particle technique. The method is based on the measurement of the gamma photons emitted by the de-excitation of nuclei that undergo, mainly, inelastic scatterings with incident fast neutrons (En ∼ 14 MeV). A set of scintillation detectors (NaI:Tl and LaBr3:Ce) is employed to perform gamma spectroscopy. The data acquisition system is based on fast signal digitizers and customized data acquisition software. A general technical description of the detection module and an outline of the data acquisition system (DAQ) are given. Also, we present the results of the integration tests, in particular, some examples of the performance of the system in the laboratory are shown, specifically, when using no target (background measurement) and when using mono-elemental and an explosive simulant target. Obtained results suggest that all technical requirements are achieved, and the next step will be the field trials.

The European H2020 project entitled “effective container inspection at border control point” (C-BORD) focuses on the development and in-situ tests of a comprehensive, cost-effective solution for the generalized non-intrusive inspection (NII) of containers and large-volume freight at the European Union border. The opening procedures of suspect containers are time consuming and expensive for economical and safety reasons; therefore, to reduce such operations, the C-BORD project aims to develop a set of technologies that can improve the quality of NII. Among these techniques, a tagged neutron inspection system is being developed in the C-BORD project. It will be a second-line defense system, to be used on sealed containers to detect explosives, illicit drugs, and chemical agents in suspect voxels (elementary volume units). This method employs a beam of tagged neutrons and a set of NaI(Tl) and LaBr[Formula: see text](Ce) scintillators, which will be used to detect prompt gamma rays produced by the neutron interactions. Here we report the advances on the development of the C-BORD’s rapidly relocatable tagged neutron inspection system, in particular the comprehensive characterization of the NaI(Tl) and LaBr[Formula: see text](Ce) gamma detectors (time and energy resolutions, high-count-rate behavior), the digital analysis for time-coincidence measurements and the data acquisition system (DAQ).

In this paper we present the prompt photofission neutron detection performance of undoped CaF2 scintillator using Threshold Activation Detection (TAD). The study is carried out in the frame of C-BORD Horizon 2020 project, during which an efficient toolbox for high volume freight non-intrusive inspection (NII) is under development. Technologies for radiation monitoring are the part of the project. Particularly, detection of various radiological threats on country borders plays an important significant role in Homeland Security applications. Detection of illegal transfer of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) - 235U, 233U and 239Pu - is particular due to the potential use for production of nuclear weapon as well as radiological dispersal device (RDD) V known also as a “dirty bomb”. This technique relies on activation of 19F nuclei in the scintillator medium by fast neutrons and registration of high-energy β particles and γ-rays from the decay of reaction products. The radiation from SNM is detected after irradiation in order to avoid detector blinding. Despite the low 19F(n,α)16N or 19F(n,p)19O reaction cross-section, the method could be a good solution for detection of shielded nuclear material. Results obtained with the CaF2 detector were compared with the previous study done for BaF2 and 3He detector. These experimental results were obtained using 252Cf source and 9 MeV Varian Linatron M9 linear accelerator (LINAC). Finally, performance of the prompt neutron detection system based on CaF2 will be validated at Rotterdam Seaport during field trails in 2018.

International audience; In the frame of the C-BORD project, five innovate technology pillars for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) are under development. Freight containers are potential means for smuggling, drug trafficking and transport of dangerous or illicit substances. The goal of the C-BORD project is to increase interdiction of illicit or dangerous materials in containerized freight and deliver new capabilities against critical operational requirements and constrains. Particularly, the aim of the project is to increase throughput of the container per time unit, reduce cost and time of cargo inspection and minimize the false negative and false positive alarm ratios. Finally, thanks to field trials organized during the project, capability of these systems will be proven and the C-BORD Toolbox usefulness will be validated by end users under real conditions at sea and border crosses.

The linearity of a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) response depends on the number of APD cells and its effective recovery time and it is related to the intensity and duration of the detected light pulses. The aim of this study was to determine the effective recovery time on the basis of the measured SiPM response to light pulses of different durations. A closer analysis of the SiPM response to the light pulses shorter than the effective recovery time of APD cells led to a method for the evaluation of the single photoelectron response of the devices where the single photoelectron peak cannot be clearly measured. This is necessary in the evaluation of the number of fired APD cells (or the number of photoelectrons) in measurements with light pulses of various durations. Measurements were done with SiPMs manufactured by two companies: Hamamatsu and SensL.

Conference of 2016 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and Room-Temperature Semiconductor Detector Workshop, NSS/MIC/RTSD 2016 ; Conference Date: 29 October 2016 Through 6 November 2016; Conference Code:131365; International audience; For several years, detection of various threats on country borders plays a significant role in the frame of Homeland Security applications. One of this threat is the illicit trafficking of nuclear materials (especially including Special Nuclear Material - SNM - 235U, 233U or 239Pu), which can be potentially used for production of nuclear weapon as well as radiological dispersal device (RDD) - known also as a "dirty bomb". In order to detect the potentially hidden nuclear material, systems using linear accelerators and a group of detectors are developed by several scientific groups around the world. Besides solutions focusing on detection of delayed γ-rays or neutrons, also the systems dedicated for prompt neutron detection were proposed. One of the possible prompt neutron detection technique is known as Threshold Activation Detection (TAD). This technique relies on activation of 19F nuclei in the scintillator medium by fast neutrons and registration of high-energy particles and γ-rays from the decay of reaction products (for example, 19F(n,α)16N or 19F(n,p)19O). Recent studies in the frame of the European Horizon 2020 C-BORD project showed that, despite the low 19F(n,α)16N or 19F(n,p)19O reaction cross-section, the method could be a good solution for detection of shielded nuclear material. A benchmark of the TAD technique based on fluorine detectors with reference method focused on delayed neutron detection with 3He detectors will be presented in this paper. These experimental results were obtained using 9 MeV Varian Linatron M9 linear accelerator (LINAC).

The aim of this work is the characterization of a ∅ 9×9 mm CsI:Tl scintillator at a wide temperature range of −40 °C to +22 °C. A tested crystal with dimensions of ∅ 9×9 mm was coupled to a 16 mm diameter large area Avalanche photodiode (LAAPD). The crystal and the LAAPD were cooled down in a cryostat with a built-in Peltier element. Properties such as the number of electron–hole pairs per 1 MeV, the nonproportionality, the energy resolution and the intrinsic resolution were inspected with eight different peaking times – i.e., 0.6 μs, 1.2 μs, 2.4 μs, 4.8 μs, 7.2 μs, 9 μs, 14.4 μs, 28.8 μs – and discussed in terms of the light pulse shapes measured by a single photon method.

The aim of this work is to provide the characteristics of two samples of Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) high-density SiPMs with an active area of 2.2 × 2.2 mm2 (15 × 15 μm2 single cell size) and 4 × 4 mm2 (30 × 30 μm2 single cell size) in gamma-ray spectrometry with LSO and CsI:Tl scintillators. The measurements presented in this work covered: measurements of spectra with low number of detected photons (one to a few fired APD cells), characteristics of the breakdown voltage versus temperature, verification of the excess noise factor, selection of the optimum operating voltage for energy resolution, verification of the linearity of the SiPM response for both used scintillators, verification of the number of fired APD cells and gamma-ray spectrometry for a wide range of X and gamma ray energies from 22.1 to 1408 keV.

The aim of this work is to provide the characteristics of S10985-025C MPPC arrays with an active area of 6 × 6 mm in gamma-ray spectrometry with 5 × 5×5 mm CsI:Tl scintillator over a wide temperature range (−20°C, −10°C, 0°C, +10°C, +21°C). The crystal and the MPPC array were cooled down in a cryostat with a built-in Peltier element. The measurements presented in this work covered: characteristics of breakdown voltage, selection of MPPC optimum operating voltage, verification of excess noise factor, measurement of energy resolution and the number of photoelectrons per MeV. All measurements were carried out as a function of temperature and compared with similar results obtained previously with CsI:Tl crystal coupled to the Large Area Photodiode (LAAPD).