A time-gating scintillation detector for the measurement of laser-induced fast neutrons

A time-gating scintillation detector, in which a fast high voltage switch is used for gating a channel photomultiplier, was developed for a measurement of laser-induced fast neutrons. The x rays generated from the intense femtosecond laser and the solid target interactions were suppressed selectively and a time-of-flight signal of a laser-generated fast neutron was measured effectively. The detector was used successfully to measure the neutron yield of a femtosecond, deuterated, polystyrene plasma.