The Fission-fragment Spectrometer VERDI☆

VERDI (VElocity foR Direct particle Identification) is a fission-fragment spectrometer presently under construction at the Joint Research Centre IRMM. It will allow measuring the kinetic energy and the velocity of both fission fragments simultaneously. The velocity information provide information about the pre-neutron mass of each fission fragment when isotropic prompt-neutron emission from the fragments is assumed. The kinetic energy, in complement of the velocity, will provide us with the post-neutron mass. From the difference between pre- and post-neutron masses the number of neutrons emitted by each fragment may be deter- mined. Knowledge of this quantity as a function of the total kinetic energy will contribute to the understanding of how the available excitation energy is shared between both fission fragments at scission. The contemplated pre-neutron mass resolving power, A/ΔA, of at least 126 requires a time-of-flight (TOF) resolution better than 200 ps (FWHM) and an energy resolution, ΔE/E of 0.3% for a post-neutron mass. The VERDI spectrometer provides the best compromise between geometrical efficiency and time of flight. It consists of an electron detector located very close to the fissionable target and a double array of silicon detectors located 50 cm away on both sides of the target. Each silicon detector has an area of 450 mm2 and is made from neutron transmutation-doped (NTD) silicon to reduce rise-time variation, to minimize pulse height defect and to reduce the plasma delay time. The intrinsic timing resolution of the electron detector was determined, using a 241Am alpha source (Eα = 5.49 MeV), against a previously characterized single-crystal diamond to σ = 140 ps. The timing resolution of the NTD silicon detectors was determined using the spontaneous fission of 252Cf in conjunction with Monte-Carlo simulations to σNTD = 150 ps. With the present timing resolution, σTOF < 210 ps, VERDI is already close to the set goals. The excellent timing properties of VERDI will also permit studying prompt and delayed gamma-ray characteristics.