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Title: High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector

Abstract

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.

Inventors:
; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1179226
Patent Number(s):
9029792
Application Number:
14/026,429
Assignee:
lliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
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DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2013 Sep 13
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

Citation Formats

Stradins, Pauls, Branz, Howard M, Wang, Qi, and McHugh, Harold R. High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector. United States: N. p., 2015. Web.
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Stradins, Pauls, Branz, Howard M, Wang, Qi, & McHugh, Harold R. High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector. United States.
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Stradins, Pauls, Branz, Howard M, Wang, Qi, and McHugh, Harold R. Tue . "High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1179226.
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@article{osti_1179226,
title = {High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector},
author = {Stradins, Pauls and Branz, Howard M and Wang, Qi and McHugh, Harold R},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2015},
month = {5}
}
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Works referenced in this record:

Amorphous silicon position sensitive neutron detector
journal, January 1992

High efficiency neutron sensitive amorphous silicon pixel detectors
journal, January 1994

Self-biased boron-10 coated high-purity epitaxial GaAs thermal neutron detectors
journal, January 2000

Designs for thin-film-coated semiconductor thermal neutron detectors
conference, January 2002

Neutron detection with a silicon PIN photodiode and 6LiF converter
journal, October 2003

  • 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
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