• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 2019

Background: As neutron fields are always accompanied by gamma rays, it is essential to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays in the detection of neutrons. Neutrons and gamma rays can be separated by pulse shape discrimination (PSD) methods. Recently, we performed characterization of a stilbene scintillator detector and an EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector with a high-speed digitizer DT5730 and investigated optimized PSD variables for both detectors. This study is for providing a basis for developing fast neutron/gamma-ray dual-particle imager. Materials and Methods: We conducted PSD experiments using stilbene scintillator and EJ-301 liquid scintillator and evaluated neutron and gamma ray discriminability of each PSD method with a $^{137}Cs$ gamma source and a $^{252}Cf$ neutron source. We implemented digital signal processing techniques to apply two PSD methods - the charge comparison (CC) method and the constant time discrimination (CTD) method - to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays. We tried to find optimized PSD variables giving the best discriminability in a given experimental condition. Results and Discussion: For the stilbene scintillator detector, the charge comparison method and the constant time discrimination method both delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.7. For the EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector, both PSD methods delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.79. With the same PSD variables, PSD performance was excellent in $300{\pm}100keVee$, $500{\pm}100keVee$, and $700{\pm}100keVee$ energy regions. This result shows that we can achieve an effective discrimination of neutrons from gamma rays using these scintillator detector systems. Conclusion: We applied both PSD methods to a stilbene and a liquid scintillator and optimized the PSD performance represented by FOM values. We observed a good separation performance of both scintillators combined with a high-speed digitizer and digital PSD. These results will provide reference values for the dual-particle imager we are developing, which can image both fast neutrons and gamma rays simultaneously.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.1009-1014
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• 2023

Muon tomography is a useful method for monitoring special nuclear materials (SNMs) such as spent nuclear fuel inside dry cask storage. Multiple Coulomb scattering of muons can be used to provide information about the 3-dimensional structure and atomic number(Z) of the inner materials. Tomography using muons is less affected by the shielding material and less harmful to health than other measurement methods. We developed a muon detector for muon tomography, which consists of a plastic scintillator, 64 long wavelength-shifting (WLS) fibers attached to the top of the plastic scintillator, and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) connected to both ends of each WLS fiber. The muon detector can acquire X and Y positions simultaneously using a position determination algorithm. The design parameters of the muon detector were optimized using DETECT2000 and Geant4 simulations, and a muon detector prototype was built based on the results. Spatial resolution measurement was performed using simulations and experiments to evaluate the feasibility of the muon detector. The experimental results were in good agreement with the simulation results. The muon detector has been confirmed for use in a muon tomography system.

• 대한방사선방어학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.70-71
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• 2010

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.313-318
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• 2019

To improve the sensitivity, a detector using a block scintillator was developed. In the pixelated scintillator, a reflector is located between pixels to move the light generated from the scintillator to the photosensor as much as possible, and sensitivity loss occurs in the reflector portion. In order to improve the sensitivity and to have the characteristics of the pixelated scintillator, the block scintillator was processed into a scintillator in pixel form through three-dimensional laser engraving. The energy spectra and energy resolution of each pixel were measured, and sensitivity analysis of block and pixel scintillator was performed through GATE simulation. The measured global energy resolution was 20.7%, and the sensitivity was 18.5% higher than that of the pixel scintillator. When this detector is applied to imaging devices such as gamma camera and positron emission tomography, it will be possible to shorten the imaging time and reduce the dose of patient by using less radiation source.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.456-462
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• 2014

Scintillators were polished in four steps using polishing paper, to reduce the optical loss occurring at their cross section when radiation detectors are fabricated with plastic scintillators. We studied the correlation between the polishing steps and detection efficiency and assessed the detection characteristics that are dependent in the polishing steps. Our results showed that the detection efficiency increased by approximately 7.75 times for a detector that used a scintillator polished in four steps, compared to a detector that used an depolished scintillator. For detectors fabricated using scintillators polished in different steps, better detection characteristics were obtained in terms of the activity, distance, and location of radiation, compared to detectors fabricated with an depolished scintillator.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.11b
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• pp.269-279
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• 2005

In this study, detectors characteristics for simultaneous counting of alpha and beta ray in a pipe were estimated. The detector were composed of thin ZnS(Ag) scintillator and plastic detector. The scintillator for counting alpha particles has been applied a polymer composite sheet, having a double layer structure of an inorganic scintillator ZnS(Ag) layer adhered onto a polymer sub-layer. The other for counting beta particles used a commercially available plastic scintillator. It was confirmed that the detectors were suitable for counting the in-pipe contamination.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2024

To achieve high resolution and sensitivity of positron emission tomography (PET) for small animals, the detector is constructed using very thin and long scintillation pixels. Due to the structure of these scintillation pixels, spatial resolution deterioration occurs outside the system's field of view. To solve this problem, we designed a detector that could improve spatial resolution by measuring the interaction depth and improve sensitivity by using a quasi-block scintillator. A quasi-block scintillator size of 12.6 mm x 12.6 mm x 3 mm was arranged in four layers, and optical sensors were placed on all sides to collect light generated by the interaction between gamma rays and the scintillator. DETECT2000 simulation was performed to evaluate the performance of the designed detector. Flood images were acquired by generating gamma-ray events at 1 mm intervals from 1.3 mm to 11.3 mm within the scintillator of each layer. The spatial resolution and peak-to-peak distance for each location were measured in an 11 x 11 array of flood images. The average measured spatial resolution was 0.25 mm, and the average distance between peaks was 1.0 mm. Through this, it was confirmed that all locations were separated from each other. In addition, because the light signals of all layers were measured separately from each other, the layer of the scintillator that interacted with the gamma rays could be completely separated. When the designed detector is used as a detector in a PET system for small animals, it is considered that excellent spatial resolution and sensitivity can be achieved and image quality can be improved.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.53-60
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• 2008

Electron detectors used in scanning electron microscope accept electrons emitted from the specimen and convert them to an electrical signal that, after amplification, is used to modulate the gray-level intensities on a cathode ray tube, producing an image of the specimen. Electron detector is one of the key components dominating the performance of scanning electron microscope so that the development of electron detectors having high performance is indispensable to acquire high quality images using scanning electron microscope. In this paper, we designed and manufactured an electron detector and conducted a couple of image capture experiments using it. In particular, scintillator which generates light photons when it is struck by high-energy electrons was manufactured and experimental studies on the optimization of manufacturing condition was carried out. From experiments to evaluate the performance of our detector, it was verified that the performance of our detector is equivalent to or better than that of the conventional one.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1981-1989
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• 2017

In accordance with the global strengthening of security systems for the safety of the shipping and logistics industry, the development of core technologies within the field has become a key in the establishment of Korea's own national logistics security system. Further in line with these global developments, there is growing attention within Korea to the development of portable radiation detectors capable of detecting gamma ray nuclides. In addition, many parts are becoming localized. In this research, instead of Pulse Shaping Board, which is used in existing portable radiation detectors, we have implemented an Algorithm to discriminate nuclides and correct the temperature conversion efficiency of the scintillator. This paper aims to improve the performance of these devices through the implementation of a temperature conversional algorithm within the scintillator of the A9-based digital portable radiation detector.

• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.12
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• pp.1904-1907
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• 2018

We designed a depth-encoding positron emission tomography (PET) detector by using a bottom and side readout method with a cross-arranged scintillator array. To evaluate the characteristics of the novel detector module, we used the DETECT2000 simulation tool to perform the optical photon transport in the crystal array. The detector module consists of an $M(column){\times}N(row)$ cross-arranged crystal array composed of M/3 sub-arrays consisting of $N{\times}3$ crystals. The second column of the sub-array is arranged perpendicular to the first and the third columns. The crystal is optically coupled to the crystals of the other columns; however, the surfaces between the crystals in the same column are treated as reflectors. A $6{\times}5$ crystal array consisting of two sub-arrays was considered for proof of concept. The two multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) arrays are coupled to the bottom and one side of the crystal array, respectively. The x-y position is determined by the bottom MPPC array, and the side MPPC array gives depth information. All pixels in the x-y plane and the z direction were clearly distinguished.