Engineering Commons^™

Evaluating The Response Of Polyvinyl Toluene Scintillators Used In Portal, Kelly D. Rakes

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research work was to determine if there exists, and to what extent, variability in the pulse-height spectrum, and resolution produced by ɤ-photon induced scintillation events in polyvinyl toluene scintillators. Scintillator panels of the same type as those used in portal detector units currently operated by the Department of Homeland Security, made of polyvinyl toluene and measuring 12 x 15 x 2 in were purchased from three vendors. Each vendor supplied two scintillators, one wrapped by the vendor with aluminum foil coated mylar, and two unwrapped. The scintillators where exposed to an ≈ 8µCi source collimated …