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Abstract
Formulas are derived for calculating the energy loss distribution of recoil protons in a cylindrical organic scintillator with a broad beam of fast neutrons in the energy range 1 to 15 MeV perpendicularly incident on its base. The assumptions are: (1) the scintillator is composed solely of hydrogen and carbon; (2) only elastic scattering from hydrogen and carbon is considered in relation to the interaction of fast neutrons with the scintillator; (3) single and double scattering alone are considered; (4) wall effect is neglected for recoil protons produced in the second collisions; (5) the radius and the thickness of the scintillator are greater than the range of recoil protons of the highest energy.
As an example, the calculated results are shown for stilbene crystals of 1″ dia. and 1/8″ to 1″ thick. In scintillators of thicknesses below 1/4″, and for incident fast neutrons in the energy range from 3 to 15 MeV, the contribution of double scattering to the energy loss distribution of recoil protons is below about 10% of that of single scattering, while wall effect is quite significant, in particular, for incident neutrons of high energy.