I-BAND-GEM: a new way for improving BAND-GEM efficiency to thermal and cold neutrons

The BAND-GEM detector represents one of the novel thermal neutron detection devices that have been developed in order to fulfil the needs of high intensity neutron sources that, like ESS (the European Spallation Source), will start operation in the next few years. The first version of this detector featured a detection efficiency of about 40% for neutrons with a wavelength of 4 angstrom, a spatial resolution of about 6mm and a rate capability in the order of some MHz/cm(2). The novelty of this device is represented by an improved 3D converter cathode (10 cm thick) based on (B4C)-B-10-coated aluminum grids positioned in a controlled gas mixture volume put on top of a Triple GEM amplifying stage. The position where the neutron interacts in the converter depends on their energy and it was observed that the first version of the detector would suffer from an efficiency decrease for long (>5 angstrom) neutron wavelength. This paper describes how the new 3D cathode allowed improving the detection efficiency at long neutron wavelengths while keeping all the benefits of the first BAND-GEM version.