Optimizing diode thickness for thin-film solid state thermal neutron detectors

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4757292· OSTI ID:22080474

Murphy, John W; Mejia, Israel; Quevedo-Lopez, Manuel A; Gnade, Bruce ^[1]; Kunnen, George R; Allee, David ^[2]

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1. Department of Materials and Science, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080 (United States)
2. Flexible Display Center at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85284 (United States)

In this work, we investigate the optimal thickness of a semiconductor diode for thin-film solid state thermal neutron detectors. We evaluate several diode materials, Si, CdTe, GaAs, C (diamond), and ZnO, and two neutron converter materials, {sup 10}B and {sup 6}LiF. Investigating a coplanar diode/converter geometry, we determine the minimum semiconductor thickness needed to achieve maximum neutron detection efficiency. By keeping the semiconductor thickness to a minimum, gamma rejection is kept as high as possible. In this way, we optimize detector performance for different thin-film semiconductor materials.

• OSTI ID: 22080474
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 101; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
BORON 10
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
DIAMONDS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
LITHIUM 6
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
NEUTRON CONVERTERS
NEUTRON DETECTION
SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON
SOLIDS
THERMAL NEUTRONS
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS
ZINC OXIDES