Thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer utilizing a single material

Stowe, Ashley; Burger, Arnold; Lukosi, Eric

Title: Thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer utilizing a single material

Abstract

A combined thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer system, including: a detection medium including a lithium chalcopyrite crystal operable for detecting thermal neutrons in a semiconductor mode and gamma-rays in a scintillator mode; and a photodetector coupled to the detection medium also operable for detecting the gamma rays. Optionally, the detection medium includes a .sup.6LiInSe.sub.2 crystal. Optionally, the detection medium comprises a compound formed by the process of: melting a Group III element; adding a Group I element to the melted Group III element at a rate that allows the Group I and Group III elements to react thereby providing a single phase I-III compound; and adding a Group VI element to the single phase I-III compound and heating; wherein the Group I element includes lithium.

Inventors:: Stowe, Ashley; Burger, Arnold; Lukosi, Eric

Issue Date:: 2017-05-02

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Fisk Univ., Nashville, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1354800

Patent Number(s):: 9638813

Application Number:: 14/871,162

Assignee:: Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN); Fisk University (Nashville, TN); University of Tennessee Research Foundation (Knoxville, TN)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: C - CHEMISTRY C30 - CRYSTAL GROWTH C30B - SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION

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C - CHEMISTRY C30 - CRYSTAL GROWTH C30B - SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH
C30B11/06 - at least one but not all components of the crystal composition being added
C30B11/12 - Vaporous components, e.g. vapour-liquid-solid-growth
C30B29/46 - Sulfur-, selenium- or tellurium-containing compounds

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
G01T1/361 - {with a combination of detectors of different types, e.g. anti-Compton spectrometers
G01T1/362 - {with scintillation detectors
G01T3/08 - with semiconductor detectors

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DOE Contract Number:: NA0001942

Resource Type:: Patent

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2015 Sep 30

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats


                    Stowe, Ashley, Burger, Arnold, and Lukosi, Eric. Thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer utilizing a single material.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
        Web.

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                    Stowe, Ashley, Burger, Arnold, & Lukosi, Eric. Thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer utilizing a single material.  United States.

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                    Stowe, Ashley, Burger, Arnold, and Lukosi, Eric. Tue .  
        "Thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer utilizing a single material".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1354800.

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@article{osti_1354800,

  title        = {Thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer utilizing a single material},

  author       = {Stowe, Ashley and Burger, Arnold and Lukosi, Eric},

  abstractNote = {A combined thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer system, including: a detection medium including a lithium chalcopyrite crystal operable for detecting thermal neutrons in a semiconductor mode and gamma-rays in a scintillator mode; and a photodetector coupled to the detection medium also operable for detecting the gamma rays. Optionally, the detection medium includes a .sup.6LiInSe.sub.2 crystal. Optionally, the detection medium comprises a compound formed by the process of: melting a Group III element; adding a Group I element to the melted Group III element at a rate that allows the Group I and Group III elements to react thereby providing a single phase I-III compound; and adding a Group VI element to the single phase I-III compound and heating; wherein the Group I element includes lithium.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2017},

  month        = {5}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Semiconductor radiation detector
patent, March 2010

Bell, Zane William; Burger, Arnold
US Patent Document 7,687,780
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/7687780

Growth and properties of LiGaX₂ (X = S, Se, Te) single crystals for nonlinear optical applications in the mid-IR
journal, April 2003

Isaenko, L.; Yelisseyev, A.; Lobanov, S.
Crystal Research and Technology, Vol. 38, Issue 35, p. 379-387
https://doi.org/10.1002/crat.200310047

LiGaTe₂: A New Highly Nonlinear Chalcopyrite Optical Crystal for the Mid-IR
journal, June 2005

Isaenko, L.; Krinitsin, P.; Vedenyapin, V.
Crystal Growth & Design, Vol. 5, Issue 4, p. 1325-1329
https://doi.org/10.1021/cg050076c

Characterization of the mid-infrared nonlinear crystals LiInSe 2 and LiInS 2 in the IR range
conference, October 2006

Balachninaite, Ona; Petraviciute, Lauryna; Maciulevicius, Mindaugas
SPIE Proceedings
https://doi.org/10.1117/12.696254

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Title: Thermal neutron detector and gamma-ray spectrometer utilizing a single material

Abstract

Citation Formats

Semiconductor radiation detector patent, March 2010

Growth and properties of LiGaX2 (X = S, Se, Te) single crystals for nonlinear optical applications in the mid-IR journal, April 2003

LiGaTe2: A New Highly Nonlinear Chalcopyrite Optical Crystal for the Mid-IR journal, June 2005

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Semiconductor radiation detector
patent, March 2010

Growth and properties of LiGaX₂ (X = S, Se, Te) single crystals for nonlinear optical applications in the mid-IR
journal, April 2003

LiGaTe₂: A New Highly Nonlinear Chalcopyrite Optical Crystal for the Mid-IR
journal, June 2005

Characterization of the mid-infrared nonlinear crystals LiInSe 2 and LiInS 2 in the IR range
conference, October 2006