Imaging neutron beams with scintillating fiber faceplates

An imaging system for neutron beams based on scintillating fiber faceplates is described. The scintillating fibers are made from lithium silicate glass doped with Ce3+ using isotopically enriched 6Li. Several faceplates ranging in thickness from 1.3 to 3.2 mm have been tested using a position-sensitive photomultiplier or a charge injection device camera as the photodetector. Advantages of scintillating fiber faceplates include high neutron capture efficiency, good position resolution, and the possibility of low-cost, large-area detectors. (orig.)