Temperature dependence of BCF plastic scintillation detectors

Area of Science:

• Radiation Detection and Measurement
• Materials Science
• Optical Physics

Background:

• Plastic scintillation detectors (PSDs) are used for radiation monitoring.
• Understanding environmental factors like temperature is crucial for accurate PSD performance.
• Cyanoacrylate coupling is commonly used in PSD construction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the temperature dependence of plastic scintillation detectors (PSDs) using BCF-60 and BCF-12 scintillating fibers.
• To quantify the impact of temperature variations on dose measurements and light output.
• To analyze the spectral characteristics of emitted light and light transmission through optical coupling.

Main Methods:

• PSDs constructed with BCF-60 or BCF-12 fibers and cyanoacrylate coupling were tested.
• Detectors were exposed to varying temperatures using a controlled water bath.
• Dose measurements (CCD camera) and spectral output (spectrometer) were recorded at each temperature.
• Scintillation light intensity, spectral distribution, Cerenkov light, and optical coupling transmission were analyzed.

Main Results:

• BCF-60 PSDs showed a 0.50% dose decrease per °C, while BCF-12 showed a 0.09% decrease per °C.
• Total light intensity decreased by 0.32% (BCF-60) and 0.13% (BCF-12) per °C.
• Temperature-induced spectral shifts partially explained the dose measurement discrepancies.
• Cerenkov light generation was temperature-independent, but optical coupling transmission was temperature-dependent.

Conclusions:

• Temperature variations significantly affect the accuracy of plastic scintillation detectors, particularly BCF-60.
• The observed temperature dependence is primarily due to changes in scintillation light intensity and spectral characteristics.
• Optical coupling integrity is a critical factor in PSD temperature performance and requires further investigation.