The development of a high sensitivity neutron displacement damage sensor

Journal Article · Wed Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2016 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/tns.2016.2632525· OSTI ID:1338309

Tonigan, Andrew M. ^[1]; Parma, Edward J. ^[2]; Martin, William J. ^[2]

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1. Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Here, the capability to characterize the neutron energy spectrum and fluence received by a test object is crucial to under-standing the damage effects observed in electronic components. For nuclear research reactors and high energy density physics fa-cilities this can pose exceptional challenges, especially with low level neutron fluences. An ASTM test method for characterizing neutron environments utilizes the 2N2222A transistor as a 1-MeV equivalent neutron fluence sensor and is applicable for environ-ments with 1 x 10¹² - 1 x 10¹⁴ 1-MeV(Si)-Eqv.-n/cm². In this work we seek to extend the range of this test method to lower fluence environments utilizing the 2N1486 transistor. Here, the 2N1486 is shown to be an effective neutron displacement damage sensor as low as 1 x 10¹⁰ 1-MeV(Si)-Eqv.-n/cm².

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1338309
• Report Number(s): SAND--2016-6510J; 644829
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science; ISSN 0018-9499
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
bipolar devices
displacement damage
neutron radiation effects
radiation monitoring