Measurement and simulation of stilbene scintillator response for the KSTAR neutron diagnostic system

Abstract

The Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) project was started in December 1995, and its construction was completed in August 2007. On June 13, 2008, the KSTAR successfully produced its first plasma, and the diagnostic systems played an important role in achieving the first successful plasma operation. In fact, various diagnostic systems are required to protect reactor devices, to the control plasma, and to evaluate the plasma's performance in fusion reactors. One of the most essential tools for control of the burning plasma in fusion reactors may be a neutron diagnostic system to prove the presence of the plasma by measuring the neutrons from fusion reactions directly. The stilbene scintillator has been proposed as a good candidate for a neutron diagnostic system in the KSTAR fusion reactor because the stilbene scintillator is well-known to be an excellent material for detection of fast neutrons in a high gamma-ray background environment. If fast-neutron spectra are to be measured amid a high gamma-ray background, especially-designed electronics are necessary. For instance, a digital charge pulse shape discrimination (PSD) method, utilizing a total-to-partial-charge-ratio analysis, discriminates neutron from gamma-ray signals. Also, a flash analog-to-digital convertor (FADC) with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) increases the data-transfer rate for real-time evaluation of plasma performance. In the present study, measurements and simulations were performed in order to confirm the stilbene scintillator's response to D-D fusion reaction neutrons. Additionally, the count-rate limit of the neutron diagnostic system was determined by using measurements with a Cf-252 source at different distances.