Transforming LaCl3  and LaBr3 scintillators into neutron spectrometers

J. O'Neill; J. Heery; J. Henderson; N. Gadsby; G. Lorusso; M. Bunce; M. P. Taggart; G. L. Wilson; A. A. Alshammari; G. Bartram; C. Cousins; K. Garrett; C. O'Shea; E. O'Sullivan; S. Poulton; D. Thomas; R. Wu

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522

Transforming LaCl₃ and LaBr₃ scintillators into neutron spectrometers

J. O'Neill^*
, J. Heery
, J. Henderson
, N. Gadsby
, G. Lorusso
, M. Bunce
, M. P. Taggart
, G. L. Wilson
, A. A. Alshammari
, G. Bartram
, C. Cousins
, K. Garrett
, C. O'Shea
, E. O'Sullivan
, S. Poulton
, D. Thomas
, R. Wu

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We demonstrate the benefits of applying advanced waveform processing to commercially available scintillators to provide neutron sensitivity. Compared to integration pulse shape discrimination (PSD), this approach can improve the performance of detectors that would otherwise be unsuitable for neutron measurements. By passing the waveforms of LaCl₃(Ce) and LaBr₃(Ce) scintillators through a fast Fourier transform we observe an enhancement of up to 200% in the separation of the gamma-ray, proton, and alpha-particle scintillation pulses by comparing the ratios of high- and low-frequency components of the waveforms. Using this method, we demonstrate that LaX₃ detectors can function as fast neutron spectrometers through the detection of protons and alpha-particles from neutron-induced reactions with an AmBe source and monoenergetic neutrons in the 1–15.2 MeV range.

Original language	English
Article number	171522
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Early online date	27 Mar 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 27 Mar 2026

Keywords

Neutron detectors
Silicon photomultiplier
Neutron spectrometer
Advanced pulse analysis
Lanthanum halide scintillators

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10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

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O'Neill, J., Heery, J., Henderson, J., Gadsby, N., Lorusso, G., Bunce, M., Taggart, M. P., Wilson, G. L., Alshammari, A. A., Bartram, G., Cousins, C., Garrett, K., O'Shea, C., O'Sullivan, E., Poulton, S., Thomas, D., & Wu, R. (2026). Transforming LaCl₃ and LaBr₃ scintillators into neutron spectrometers. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Article 171522. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522

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title = "Transforming LaCl3 and LaBr3 scintillators into neutron spectrometers",

abstract = "We demonstrate the benefits of applying advanced waveform processing to commercially available scintillators to provide neutron sensitivity. Compared to integration pulse shape discrimination (PSD), this approach can improve the performance of detectors that would otherwise be unsuitable for neutron measurements. By passing the waveforms of LaCl3(Ce) and LaBr3(Ce) scintillators through a fast Fourier transform we observe an enhancement of up to 200\% in the separation of the gamma-ray, proton, and alpha-particle scintillation pulses by comparing the ratios of high- and low-frequency components of the waveforms. Using this method, we demonstrate that LaX3 detectors can function as fast neutron spectrometers through the detection of protons and alpha-particles from neutron-induced reactions with an AmBe source and monoenergetic neutrons in the 1–15.2 MeV range.",

keywords = "Neutron detectors, Silicon photomultiplier, Neutron spectrometer, Advanced pulse analysis, Lanthanum halide scintillators",

author = "J. O'Neill and J. Heery and J. Henderson and N. Gadsby and G. Lorusso and M. Bunce and Taggart, \{M. P.\} and Wilson, \{G. L.\} and Alshammari, \{A. A.\} and G. Bartram and C. Cousins and K. Garrett and C. O'Shea and E. O'Sullivan and S. Poulton and D. Thomas and R. Wu",

year = "2026",

month = mar,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522",

language = "English",

journal = "Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment",

issn = "0168-9002",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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O'Neill, J, Heery, J, Henderson, J, Gadsby, N, Lorusso, G, Bunce, M, Taggart, MP, Wilson, GL, Alshammari, AA, Bartram, G, Cousins, C, Garrett, K, O'Shea, C, O'Sullivan, E, Poulton, S, Thomas, D & Wu, R 2026, 'Transforming LaCl₃ and LaBr₃ scintillators into neutron spectrometers', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522

TY - JOUR

T1 - Transforming LaCl3 and LaBr3 scintillators into neutron spectrometers

AU - O'Neill, J.

AU - Heery, J.

AU - Henderson, J.

AU - Gadsby, N.

AU - Lorusso, G.

AU - Bunce, M.

AU - Taggart, M. P.

AU - Wilson, G. L.

AU - Alshammari, A. A.

AU - Bartram, G.

AU - Cousins, C.

AU - Garrett, K.

AU - O'Shea, C.

AU - O'Sullivan, E.

AU - Poulton, S.

AU - Thomas, D.

AU - Wu, R.

PY - 2026/3/27

Y1 - 2026/3/27

N2 - We demonstrate the benefits of applying advanced waveform processing to commercially available scintillators to provide neutron sensitivity. Compared to integration pulse shape discrimination (PSD), this approach can improve the performance of detectors that would otherwise be unsuitable for neutron measurements. By passing the waveforms of LaCl3(Ce) and LaBr3(Ce) scintillators through a fast Fourier transform we observe an enhancement of up to 200% in the separation of the gamma-ray, proton, and alpha-particle scintillation pulses by comparing the ratios of high- and low-frequency components of the waveforms. Using this method, we demonstrate that LaX3 detectors can function as fast neutron spectrometers through the detection of protons and alpha-particles from neutron-induced reactions with an AmBe source and monoenergetic neutrons in the 1–15.2 MeV range.

AB - We demonstrate the benefits of applying advanced waveform processing to commercially available scintillators to provide neutron sensitivity. Compared to integration pulse shape discrimination (PSD), this approach can improve the performance of detectors that would otherwise be unsuitable for neutron measurements. By passing the waveforms of LaCl3(Ce) and LaBr3(Ce) scintillators through a fast Fourier transform we observe an enhancement of up to 200% in the separation of the gamma-ray, proton, and alpha-particle scintillation pulses by comparing the ratios of high- and low-frequency components of the waveforms. Using this method, we demonstrate that LaX3 detectors can function as fast neutron spectrometers through the detection of protons and alpha-particles from neutron-induced reactions with an AmBe source and monoenergetic neutrons in the 1–15.2 MeV range.

KW - Neutron detectors

KW - Silicon photomultiplier

KW - Neutron spectrometer

KW - Advanced pulse analysis

KW - Lanthanum halide scintillators

U2 - 10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522

DO - 10.1016/j.nima.2026.171522

M3 - Article

SN - 0168-9002

JO - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

JF - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

M1 - 171522

ER -

Transforming LaCl3 and LaBr3 scintillators into neutron spectrometers

Abstract

Keywords

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Transforming LaCl₃ and LaBr₃ scintillators into neutron spectrometers