Measurement of proton quenching in a LAB-based liquid scintillator

BackgroundThe linear alkylbenzene has been recently used as the solvent of liquid scintillator by several neutrino experiments. The nonlinear energy response induced by the ionization quenching is critical in this kind of detectors. An empirical model proposed by Birks is commonly used to describe the quenching effect; however, recently, the parameter k_\text B in the model is found to be particle dependent.
PurposeTo improve the understanding of proton quenching in LS detectors.
MethodsA 14 MeV D–T compact neutron generator is deployed which can provide recoil protons with kinetic energies ranging from 0.5 to 13 MeV in LS.
ResultsThe parameter k_\text B is extracted by fitting the data to the Birks’ law prediction with careful examination of systematic uncertainties.
ConclusionThe measurement will contribute to the in-depth understanding of the energy nonlinearity in liquid scintillator detectors.