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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 Laboratory (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):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
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.
Stradins, Pauls, Branz, Howard M, Wang, Qi, & McHugh, Harold R. High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector. United States.
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.
@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 = {Tue May 12 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue May 12 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

Works referenced in this record:

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Amorphous silicon ionizing particle detectors
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Advanced neutron detector
patent, January 1994


Radiation resistant solid state neutron detector
patent, March 1998


Solid state neutron detector array
patent, August 1999


Pocked surface neutron detector
patent, April 2003


Boron-carbide solid state neutron detector and method of using the same
patent, August 2004


Solid-state thermal neutron detector
patent, May 2008


Plasma panel based ionizing radiation detector
patent, April 2009


Neutron detector using lithiated glass-scintillating particle composite
patent-application, September 2003


Neutron detection device and method of manufacture
patent-application, April 2005


High-efficiency neutron detectors and methods of making same
patent-application, November 2005


Semiconductor materials matrix for neutron detection
patent-application, November 2006


Boron thin films for solid state neutron detectors
patent-application, January 2008


Neutron Detector with Gamma Ray Isolation
patent-application, June 2011


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


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conference, January 2002


Neutron detection with a silicon PIN photodiode and 6LiF converter
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  • 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