NEDA, the NEutron Detector Array (J.J. Valiente-Dobon et al, NIM, to be published), is designed to be operated in conjunction with g-ray arrays, such as the tracking-array AGATA, to aid nuclear spectroscopy studies. The collaboration is based on the long-standing experience grown with the realization and use of the Neutron Wall, a highly efficient medium granularity neutron-detector array used with the previous generation gamma-ray arrays (https://nsg.physics.uu.se/nwall). NEDA has been designed to be a versatile device, which in addition to a large efficiency and a good neutron-gamma discrimination, will allow to detect several neutrons simultaneously.
NEDA provides a good selection of the decay channels that has been demonstrated to be very efficient for the study of neutron-deficient nuclei populated by fusion-evaporation reactions, e.g. for the investigation of nuclei close to the N=Z line. NEDA is also a well suited device for the investigation of exotic nuclei populated with transfer reactions, where the emitted particle is a neutron. A large variety of new radioactive beams will be accessible in the next years for transfer reactions induced by proton- and neutron-rich projectiles from radioactive beam facilities
NEDA is equipped with a full digital electronics based on the NUMEXO2 (NUMériseur pour EXOgam2) NIM digitizer. A specific firmware for online neutron-gamma discrimination was developed. Readout of the data is performed using PCI express.
Bulgaria: Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy (INRNE)
France: GANIL
Italy: Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN)
Poland: Consortium of Polish Governmental and Public Institutions (COPIN)
Spain: Conselleria d’Educació, Generalitat Valenciana/Secretaría de Estado
de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación/Ministerio de Economía y
Competitividad/Centro Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)/
Universidad de Valencia/Istituto de Física Corpuscular (IFIC)
Sweden: Uppsala University
Turkey: The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
(TUBITAK)/ Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK)
United Kingdom: York University, STFC Daresbury Laboratory
Gilles de France : gilles.defrance@ganil.fr