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High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1179226
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An apparatus (200) for detecting slow or thermal neutrons (160). The apparatus (200) includes an alpha particle-detecting layer (240) that is a hydrogenated amorphous silicon p-i-n diode structure. The apparatus includes a bottom metal contact (220) and a top metal contact (250) with the diode structure (240) positioned between the two contacts (220, 250) to facilitate detection of alpha particles (170). The apparatus (200) includes a neutron conversion layer (230) formed of a material containing boron-10 isotopes. The top contact (250) is pixilated with each contact pixel extending to or proximate to an edge of the apparatus to facilitate electrical contacting. The contact pixels have elongated bodies to allow them to extend across the apparatus surface (242) with each pixel having a small surface area to match capacitance based upon a current spike detecting circuit or amplifier connected to each pixel. The neutron conversion layer (860) may be deposited on the contact pixels (830) such as with use of inkjet printing of nanoparticle ink.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
Assignee:
lliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO)
Patent Number(s):
9,029,792
Application Number:
14/026,429
OSTI ID:
1179226
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (5)

Self-biased boron-10 coated high-purity epitaxial GaAs thermal neutron detectors journal January 2000
High efficiency neutron sensitive amorphous silicon pixel detectors journal January 1994
Amorphous silicon position sensitive neutron detector journal January 1992
Neutron detection with a silicon PIN photodiode and 6LiF converter
  • Voytchev, M.; Iñiguez, M. P.; Méndez, R.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 512, Issue 3, p. 546-552 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9002(03)02013-8
journal October 2003
Designs for thin-film-coated semiconductor thermal neutron detectors conference January 2002

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