LabVIEW Data Acquisition for NE213 Neutron Detector

A neutron spectroscopy system based on a NE213 liquid scintillation detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center measures neutron energies from a few MeV up to 800 MeV. The neutrons are produced from the electron beam and target interactions. The NE 213 scintillator, coupled with a Photomultiplier Tube (PMT), detects and converts radiation into electric pulses for signal processing. Signals are processed through Nuclear Instrument Modules (NIM) and Computer Automated Measurement and Control (CAMAC) modules. The processed pulses are then fed into a CAMAC analog to digital converter module (ADC). The ADC classifies the incoming analog pulses into one of 2048 digital channels. Data acquisition (DAQ) software based on LabVIEW version 7.0 acquires and organizes data from the CAMAC ADC. The DAQ system presents a spectrum showing a relationship between pulse events and respective charge (digital channel number). Various photon sources, such as Co-60, Y-88, and AmBe-241, are used to calibrate the NE213 detector. For each source, a Compton edge and reference energy in MeVee is obtained, resulting in a calibration curve. This project is focused on the development of a DAQ system and control setup to collect and process information from a NE213 liquid scintillation detector. A manual is also created to document the process of the development and interpretation of the LabVIEW-based DAQ system.