FLUKA simulations for low-energy neutron interactions and experimental validation

The response functions of a commercial neutron detector filled with BICRON BC501A liquid scintillator are computed using the FLUKA Monte Carlo program. The simulation results are necessary to perform a direct spectroscopy by unfolding the measured proton recoil spectrum by means of the response functions of the detector using the SAND II code. The measurement of the flux intensity and of the energy distribution of a calibrated AmBe neutron source validates the method showing a good agreement with the known quantities.