³He neutron detector with Android smartphone integration

Arman Sainovitch Kussainov; Per Arnqvist; Natalya Pya Arnqvist; Nurzhan Saduyev; Orazaly Kalikulov; Nurzhan Yerezhep; Shynbolat Utey; Aliya Baktoraz

doi:10.26577/phst20251228

Authors

Arman Sainovitch Kussainov Department of Physics and Technology, al-Farabi Kazakh National University 71, al-Farabi Ave, Almaty, 050040, The Republic of Kazakhstan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1399-4089 (unauthenticated)
Per Arnqvist 3Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, Umeå, 90187, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1147-6592 (unauthenticated)
Natalya Pya Arnqvist Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, Umeå, 90187, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7117-8012 (unauthenticated)
Nurzhan Saduyev Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ibragimov Street 1, Almaty, 050032, The Republic of Kazakhstan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5144-0677 (unauthenticated)
Orazaly Kalikulov Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ibragimov Street 1, Almaty, 050032, The Republic of Kazakhstan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1597-4935 (unauthenticated)
Nurzhan Yerezhep Department of Physics and Technology, al-Farabi Kazakh National University 71, al-Farabi Ave, Almaty, 050040, The Republic of Kazakhstan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7457-2189 (unauthenticated)
Shynbolat Utey Department of Physics and Technology, al-Farabi Kazakh National University 71, al-Farabi Ave, Almaty, 050040, The Republic of Kazakhstan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6139-6107 (unauthenticated)
Aliya Baktoraz al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26577/phst20251228

Abstract

We have developed a homemade neutron flux detection module with ³He tube hot-swap capability and control-rich Android software interface. Real-time data analysis is done by a smartphone with Android application interfaced with the detector via a USB cable. This setup can be used as a neutron and gamma ray background detector or as a compact, mobile ³He tubes calibration tool making it a cheap and easy-to-use alternative for the stationary setups. A fast neutron detection algorithm was implemented as a set of Java scripts and tested for real-time signal analysis. The modular structure of the device allows easy deployment and customization with further software development and regular upgrades. The current prototype was tested at the Nuclear Physics Research Institute under different neutron flux intensity conditions from the VVR-K water-cooled research reactor. Its simplicity and significantly lower cost, compared with conventional detector equipment, make it valuable for easy repetitive tasks with medium requirements for precision and neutron flux intensities.

Keywords: ³He detector, proportional counter, android application, functional clustering, neutron capture, USB interface.

Author Biographies

Arman Sainovitch Kussainov, Department of Physics and Technology, al-Farabi Kazakh National University 71, al-Farabi Ave, Almaty, 050040, The Republic of Kazakhstan

Arman S. Kussainov (corresponding author) – Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Physics and Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty, Kazakhstan, e-mail: arman.kussainov@gmail.com);
Per Arnqvist, 3Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, Umeå, 90187, Sweden

Per Arnqvist – Associate Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University (Umeå, Sweden, e-mail: per.arnqvist@umu.se);
Natalya Pya Arnqvist, Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, Umeå, 90187, Sweden

Natalya Pya Arnqvist – Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University (Umeå, Sweden, e-mail: natalya.pya@umu.se);
Nurzhan Saduyev, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ibragimov Street 1, Almaty, 050032, The Republic of Kazakhstan

Nurzhan Saduyev – Deputy Director General for Science of the Institute of Nuclear Physics (Almaty, Kazakhstan, e-mail: n.sadyev@inp.kz);
Orazaly Kalikulov, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ibragimov Street 1, Almaty, 050032, The Republic of Kazakhstan

Orazaly Kalikulov – Head of Cosmic Ray Physics Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear Physics (Almaty, Kazakhstan, e-mail: o.kalikulov@inp.kz);
Nurzhan Yerezhep, Department of Physics and Technology, al-Farabi Kazakh National University 71, al-Farabi Ave, Almaty, 050040, The Republic of Kazakhstan

Nurzhan Yerezhep – Lecturer at the Physics and Technology Department, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Researcher at the Cosmic Ray Physics Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear Physics (Almaty, Kazakhstan, e-mail: n.yerezhep@inp.kz);
Shynbolat Utey, Department of Physics and Technology, al-Farabi Kazakh National University 71, al-Farabi Ave, Almaty, 050040, The Republic of Kazakhstan

Shynbolat Utey – Lecturer at the Faculty of Physics and Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Researcher at the Cosmic Ray Physics Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear Physics (Almaty, Kazakhstan, e-mail: sh.utey@inp.kz);
Aliya Baktoraz, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty

Aliya Baktoraz – Lecturer at the Faculty of Physics and Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty, Kazakhstan, e-mail: baktoraz.aliya@kaznu.kz).