Apparatus and method for the simultaneous detection of neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation
Abstract
A sensor for simultaneously detecting neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation comprising: a sensor for the detection of gamma radiation, the sensor defining a sensing head; the sensor further defining an output end in communication with the sensing head; and an exterior neutron-sensitive material configured to form around the sensing head; wherein the neutron-sensitive material, subsequent to the capture of the neutron, fissions into an alpha-particle and a .sup.7 Li ion that is in a first excited state in a majority of the fissions, the first excited state decaying via the emission of a single gamma ray at 478 keV which can in turn be detected by the sensing head; and wherein the sensing head can also detect the ionizing electromagnetic radiation from an incident radiation field without significant interference from the neutron-sensitive material. A method for simultaneously detecting neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation comprising the steps of: providing a gamma ray sensitive detector comprising a sensing head and an output end; conforming an exterior neutron-sensitive material configured to form around the sensing head of the detector; capturing neutrons by the sensing head causing the neutron-sensitive material to fission into an alpha-particle and a .sup.7 Li ion that is in amore »
- Inventors:
-
- Oak Ridge, TN
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872795
- Patent Number(s):
- 6011266
- Assignee:
- Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (Oak Ridge, TN)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- apparatus; method; simultaneous; detection; neutrons; ionizing; electromagnetic; radiation; sensor; simultaneously; detecting; comprising; gamma; defining; sensing; head; output; communication; exterior; neutron-sensitive; material; configured; form; subsequent; capture; neutron; fissions; alpha-particle; excited; majority; decaying; via; emission; single; ray; 478; kev; detected; detect; incident; field; significant; interference; steps; providing; sensitive; detector; conforming; capturing; causing; fission; rays; entering; producing; readout; device; coupled; provides; proportional; energy; absorbed; ionizing electromagnetic; device coupled; detecting neutrons; incident radiation; gamma rays; gamma ray; electromagnetic radiation; gamma radiation; sensitive detector; radiation comprising; radiation field; sensitive material; simultaneously detecting; readout device; detector comprising; simultaneous detection; single gamma; ray sensitive; detecting neutron; /250/
Citation Formats
Bell, Zane W. Apparatus and method for the simultaneous detection of neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation. United States: N. p., 2000.
Web.
Bell, Zane W. Apparatus and method for the simultaneous detection of neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation. United States.
Bell, Zane W. Sat .
"Apparatus and method for the simultaneous detection of neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872795.
@article{osti_872795,
title = {Apparatus and method for the simultaneous detection of neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation},
author = {Bell, Zane W},
abstractNote = {A sensor for simultaneously detecting neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation comprising: a sensor for the detection of gamma radiation, the sensor defining a sensing head; the sensor further defining an output end in communication with the sensing head; and an exterior neutron-sensitive material configured to form around the sensing head; wherein the neutron-sensitive material, subsequent to the capture of the neutron, fissions into an alpha-particle and a .sup.7 Li ion that is in a first excited state in a majority of the fissions, the first excited state decaying via the emission of a single gamma ray at 478 keV which can in turn be detected by the sensing head; and wherein the sensing head can also detect the ionizing electromagnetic radiation from an incident radiation field without significant interference from the neutron-sensitive material. A method for simultaneously detecting neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation comprising the steps of: providing a gamma ray sensitive detector comprising a sensing head and an output end; conforming an exterior neutron-sensitive material configured to form around the sensing head of the detector; capturing neutrons by the sensing head causing the neutron-sensitive material to fission into an alpha-particle and a .sup.7 Li ion that is in a first excited state in a majority of the fissions, the state decaying via the emission of a single gamma ray at 478 keV; sensing gamma rays entering the detector through the neutron-sensitive material; and producing an output through a readout device coupled to the output end; wherein the detector provides an output which is proportional to the energy of the absorbed ionizing electromagnetic radiation.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}