ZnS(Ag) Phosphor Mixtures for Neutron Scintillation Counting

Abstract

Various zinc sulfide phosphor mixtures for neutron scintillation counting have been compared. Selected compounds of hydrogen, lithium, boron, and fissionable elements were mixed in varying proportions with ZnS(Ag), and the corresponding neutron and gamma counting efficiencies measured as functions of energy. The low sensitivity of these mixtures to gammas (10⁻⁵−10⁻⁴ percent) and the measured short time decay constant (τ=0.04 μsec) offer distinct advantages for fast neutron counting.