NuSec Detection Science Workshop 2026

Session

Session 1: Detector Development

11 Feb 2026, 09:30

National Physical Laboratory

Conveners

Session 1: Detector Development

• Chris Allwork

151. Detector development at the University of Surrey

Joey O'Neill (University of Birmingham)

11/02/2026, 09:30

Oral Presentation

The detection of neutrons with a variety of energies has impact that spans the realms of fundamental and applied physics. At the University of Surrey, we undertake research into both novel detector materials and the application of more established materials for neutron detection, with a focus on scintillator detectors.

A summary of recent work performed by the group will be presented, with...

144. The Development of Hard X-ray Imaging Detectors at STFC

Dr Matthew Veale (UKRI Science & Technology Facilities Council)

11/02/2026, 09:45

Oral Presentation

This presentation will give an overview of current work at the STFC Detector Development Group to produce a new generation of X-ray imaging detectors for hard X-rays (5 - 600keV) utilising modern compound semiconductor sensor materials such as HF-CdZnTe for photon science applications.

These developments include HEXITEC-MHz, a new generation of our High Energy X-ray Imaging Technology that...

145. Long-Term High-Voltage Bias Stability and Degradation Pathways in Perovskite Single-Photon Counting Radiation Detectors

Mr Jayana Jayarathne (University of Surrey)

11/02/2026, 10:00

Oral Presentation

Current existing semiconductor radiation detection technologies, such as Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT), High-purity Germanium (HpGe) and Silicon (Si), suffer from several limitations. These include high production costs, the need for cryogenic cooling (for HpGe), and insufficient stopping power in materials composed of low-atomic-number elements (such as Si). These...

164. Using a HPGe-PIPSBox detector system to compare the noble gases produced by fission from U-235 and Cm-248

Ms Sifa Poulton (National Physical Laboratory)

11/02/2026, 10:15

Oral Presentation

Noble gases are chemically unreactive and therefore the easiest fission fragments to extract from fissioned samples. Krypton and xenon isotopes are relatively highly produced making them good candidates for measurement. Sitting in different mass peaks, their ratio can also be used to differentiate between fission sources. Using a beta-gamma system to measure the extracted gases improve...

148. Bismuth-loaded Plastic Scintillator for Nuclear Security Applications

Matt Taggart (AWE Nuclear Security Technologies)

11/02/2026, 10:30

Oral Presentation

In recent years a great deal of research has been devoted to the development of so-called spectroscopic plastic scintillator. The addition of high-Z materials increases the stopping power and photopeak efficiency of plastic scintillator albeit generally with a reduction in light yield. Common elements used for this development include tin (Z=50) and lead (Z=82), and such metal-loaded plastics...

156. Clear and Bright X-Ray Imaging with Nanophotonic Scintillators

Dr Isabel Braddock (Science and Technology Facilities Council)

11/02/2026, 10:45

Oral Presentation

Lens-based imaging detectors such as those typically used for MeV X-ray imaging and synchrotron-based imaging suffer greatly from poor collection efficiency, typically recording only ~1% of light emitted by the scintillator. However, spatially periodic, sub-wavelength photonic structures provide a means to modify the emission, transport and outcoupling of photons in a crystal. Nanoscale...