Performance of a Position Sensitive Neutron Scintillation Detector based on Silicon Photomultipliers

In recent years, the price increase of 3He has triggered the search for alternative neutron detectors. One of the viable options is a scintillation-based neutron detector. Usually, photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are used in these detectors for photodetection. However, the increase in performance requirements such as the operability in magnetic field and spatial resolution necessitates an advanced neutron detector. Therefore, we developed a detector prototype with an active area of 13 cm $\times\,13$ cm using silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). As compared to PMTs, SiPMs offer more compactness, more robustness, and a lower sensitivity to magnetic field. The final detector is aimed to be used in the future at the TREFF instrument of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching, Germany, for neutron reflectometry (NR). First measurements were carried out at TREFF and at the dedicated detector test instrument V17 at BER-II of HZB in Berlin, Germany. In this study, we report the results for detection efficiency, gamma discrimination, 2-D position resolution, count rate, and detection linearity.