Neutron Energy Mapping for Two Different D-T Generator Technologies with a Diamond Detector

Fast neutron detectors based on high purity single crystal diamonds can have very good energy resolution. With the ¹² C(n,α) ⁹ Be reaction, the reaction products usually stay within the diamond, the reaction energy is fully converted to charges and produce a full energy peak on the pulse height histogram. As the energy deposited during this reaction is dependent on the incident neutron energy, the position of the full energy peak can be used to characterize the fast neutron flux and energy distribution from a source such as a deuterium-tritium neutron generator or fusion reactors.