Speaker
Description
ISIS is the UK neutron and muon spallation source with a suite of over thirty specialised instruments. It is a world-leading facility for research in a vast range of scientific fields, from physics and chemistry to biology and engineering. All neutron instruments employ either scintillator-based or gaseous-based detectors. These have been under development at ISIS for more than three decades.
Continuous research and development aim to improve detector capabilities, achieve better performance and meet the increasingly demanding requirements set by neutron scattering instruments. At ISIS, there is a portfolio of instrument projects aimed at transforming its scientific capabilities: The Endeavour Programme. This includes four cutting-edge instruments and five major upgrades over the next decade, ensuring that ISIS remains a global leader in neutron science.
Key challenges in detector development include achieving large area coverage, optimizing spatial resolution, and ensuring high counting rate capability. This work presents a general overview of the latest development of scintillator-based and micro-pattern gas neutron detectors performed at ISIS.
Novel designs of ZnS:Ag/6LiF coupled to wavelength shifting fibre (WLSF) and lithiated glass detectors will be described. The performance and results, using these detectors, will be shown for various neutron scattering applications. Improvements in detection efficiency, position resolution and count rate capability will be presented. Moreover, future development routes will be highlighted.
µRWELL is one of the latest Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detector (MPGD) technologies developed at CERN. At ISIS, we are investigating the use of these detectors in combination with a 3He-based gas mixture as a potential solution for future upgrades of spectroscopy, SANS, and neutron imaging instruments. The latest achievements with µRWELLs will be presented here.
Enhancements in performance, together with continued research on these detector technologies, will further extend the capabilities of the science programme, paving the way for future instrument upgrades at ISIS.