STUDY OF LiInSe₂ SINGLE CRYSTALS FOR THE THERMAL NEUTRON DETECTION

A.V.Belushkin^a,d*, A.A.Bogdzel^a, A.A.Goloshumova^b,c,  L.I.Isaenko^b,c, S.I.Lobanov^b,c, V.M.Milkov^a, A.Yu.Tarasova^b,c, A.P.Yelisseyev^b,c
aFrank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, JINR, Dubna, Russia
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^bNovosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
 ^cInstitute of geology and mineralogy, Siberian Branch, Russian Acad. Sci., Novosibirsk, Russia
^dInstitute of Physics, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia

Abstract – Lithium-indium di-selenide (LiInSe₂) is the new semiconductor material, sensitive to the thermal neutrons. LiInSe₂ compound was synthesized from Li (99.99%), In (99.999%), Se (99.999%). LiInSe₂ (LISe) single crystals growth was performed using the vertical option of Bridgeman-Stockbarger method. The crystals were characterized using the electrical conductivity and optical spectroscopy methods. Stoichiometric composition of the LiInSe₂ was confirmed by the high precision chemical analysis as well as by X-ray diffraction. Compact neutron source ²⁵²Cf – with the activity 6,3 x 10⁵ n/s allowed to measure amplitude characteristics and to define the optimal operating voltage for neutron detection. Time-of-flight neutron spectra were measured at the fast pulsed research reactor IBR-2 at JINR.