The Karlsruhe 4π barium fluoride detector

A new experimental approach has been implemented for accurate measurements of neutron capture cross sections in the energy range from 5 to 200 keV. The Karlsruhe 4π Barium Fluoride Detector consists of 42 crystals shaped as hexagonal and pentagonal truncated pyramids forming a spherical shell with 10 cm inner radius and 15 cm thickness. All crystals are supplied with reflector and photomultiplier, thus representing independent gamma-ray detectors. Each detector module covers the same solid angle with respect to a gamma-ray source located in the centre. The energy resolution of the 4π detector is 14% at 662 keV and 7% at 2.5 MeV gamma-ray energy, the overall time reslution is 500 ps and the peak efficiency 90% at 1 MeV. The detector allows to register capture cascades with 95% probability above a threshold energy of 2.5 MeV in the sum energy spectrum. Neutrons are produced via the 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction using the pulsed proton beam of a Van de Graaff accelerator. The neutron spectrum can be taylored according to the experimental requirements in an energy range from 5 to 200 keV by choosing appropriate proton energies. A collimated neutron beam is passing through the detector and hits the sample in the centre. The energy of captured neutrons is determined via time of flight, the primary flight path being 77 cm. The combination of short primary flight path, a 10 cm inner radius of the spherical BaF2 shell, and the low capture cross section of barium allows to discriminate background due to capture of sample scattered neutrons in the scintillator by time of flight, leaving part of the neutron energy range completely undisturbed. (orig./HSI)