DNP 2024

MoNA at the Fall APS DNP Meeting, October 2024

A total of nine MoNA Collaboration members participated in the Fall 2024 meeting of the American Physical Society's Division of Nuclear Physics (DNP), which took place October 7-10 2024 at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza in Boston, MA.

Contributed talks and posters covered a wide range of topics, including development of the next generation neutron detector (NGn), progress on machine-learning applied to multi-neutron filtering, neutron scattering observations at LANSCE, including new inelastic n-C scattering cross sections determined at LANSCE using a diamond detector as active target, development of a liquid hydrogen target and vertex tracker for invariant mass measurements at FRIB, and investigation of neutron-rich pre-fragment distributions in fragmentation reactions. 

Talks:

Thomas Baumann: K11.00005 : Development and Testing of Prototypes for the Next Generation Neutron Detector

Juan Lois Fuentes: E11.00003 : Machine Learning techniques for cross-talk rejection in two-neutron decays for MoNA

Anthony Kuchera: R10.00005 : Measurements of fast neutron scattering on carbon via a diamond detector at LANSCE

Nico Mendez: P10.00002:  Analysis of 12C Neutron Elastic Scattering Data using CoGNAC at the LANSCE White Neutron Source

Aldric Revel: E12.00008 : Perspectives for a thick liquid hydrogen target and vertex tracker for neutron invariant-mass measurement at FRIB

Warren Rogers: J11.00002 : Observation of neutron scattering from MoNA detectors at LANSCE and comparison with simulation      

Georgia Votta: D13.00002 : Investigating neutron-rich pre-fragment distributions in projectile fragmentation reactions

Andrew Wantz: R10.00006 : Cross-section Measurements of Neutron-induced Inelastic Reactions on 12C

Posters:

Olivia Lucas CEU Poster: G00.00025: NGn Prototype Neutron Detector Development Using Cosmic Muons

Building Detectors

As part of the Next Generation Neutron Detector project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation through a collaborative major research instrumentation grant, MoNA students and researchers are busy building prototype detectors. The prototype detectors are being used to collect data that will help us to optimize the final detector design. This detector is based on Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM). In order to allow for different detector configurations, the prototype is highly modular and designed to connect to interlocking plastic bricks (LEGO). So we can call these detector bricks! With this we can very quickly test different detector configurations.

But before the prototypes can be tested, they need to be built. For the design we use an integrated cad software (Fusion 360) that allows us to do the printed circuit board (PCB) design and the mechanical design. Students learned to use this software and created design variations that lets us test different types of SiPMs.

Once the PCBs and electronics components arrive, the detector bricks need to be assembled. The SiPM chips are between 3 mm by 3 mm and 6 mm by 6 mm, and have a Ball Grid Array, tiny solder dots that are hidden under the chip, to be mounted onto the PCB. This requires some very precise work in order to apply the solder paste with a stencil and to position the SiPM. After this the detector bricks a placed in a reflow oven for soldering.

So far we have assembled over 150 detector bricks, with a large fraction built by undergraduate students! Testing and evaluating of different detector configurations is under way at the participating schools.

APS April 2024

Members of the MoNA Collaboration attended the 2024 American Physical Society April Meeting which was held on April 03-07, 2024 at the Sacramento Convocation Center in Sacramento, California.

A total of 12 oral and poster presentations on MoNA-related science or by a member of the MoNA Collaboration were delivered throughout the meeting, covering three main topics that included low energy nuclear structure, instrumentation, and education and outreach. The list of oral and poster presentations on MoNA related science and education at the 2024 APS/April meeting is provided below.

Session	Presentation Title (hover over the title to access the abstract)
C06.00002	Excited states of 11B above the α-decay threshold populated via the 10B(d,p)11B reaction
C06.00008	Simulations of Neutron Unbound Physics for Geant4
E00.00113	Measurements of high energy neutron scattering observables from plastic scintillators at LANSCE
G06.00003	SiPM Scintillation Detector Development for a Fast-Neutron Detector
G06.00004	A large band gap semiconductor as radiator for a Cherenkov detector
G06.00005	Design of a monitoring and charge radii measurement system for rare isotope beams using the Rutherford scattering process
G06.00006	Resolution Optimization by Trace Fitting a Charged Particle Detector Telescope
G06.00008	The 2023 Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation: Exploring the Nuclear Matter
J02.00002	Broadening participation in nuclear physics through target programs
N00.00038	Rutherford scattering based detector for the MoNA Collaboration
N00.00040	Evaluation of a Cerenkov prototype for the MoNA Collaboration
N00.00057	Deblurring Experimental Decay Energy Spectra