Digital Pulse Shape Discrimination Method for D–D Neutron Spectrometry Using the LaCl 3 (Ce) Scintillator

The problem of neutron spectroscopy of plasma is substantial in modern magnetic confinement fusion experiments. Most machines operate with deuterium plasma emitting neutrons with energies of ~2.5 MeV. This paper demonstrates the possibility of a digital method for separating signals according to the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) of a scintillation detector based on a LaCl 3 (Ce) crystal when detecting neutrons and γ-quanta. The analysis of the shape of pulses produced by α particles, neutrons and γ-quanta is carried out. The optimal PSD parameters of a signal separation, namely the figure-of-merit parameters (1.1 for n –γ and 2.1 for α–γ), have been determined. The results demonstrate the promise of using the LaCl 3 (Ce) scintillation spectrometer with digital PSD as a D–D neutron spectrometer in modern controlled thermonuclear fusion facilities.