Apparatus and method for the simultaneous detection of neutrons and ionizing electromagnetic radiation

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:872795

Bell, Zane W ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

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.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• Assignee: Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Patent Number(s): US 6011266
• OSTI ID: 872795
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

apparatus
method
simultaneous
detection
neutrons
ionizing
electromagnetic
radiation
sensor
simultaneously
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comprising
gamma
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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
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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
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