Laminated Amorphous Silicon Neutron Detector (pre-print)
An internal R&D project was conducted at the Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) of National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), to determine the feasibility of developing a multi-layer boron-10 based thermal neutron detector using the amorphous silicon (AS) technology currently employed in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays. The boron-10 neutron reaction produces an alpha that can be readily detected. A single layer detector, limited to an approximately 2-micron-thick layer of boron, has a theoretical sensitivity of about 3%; hence a thin multi-layer device with high sensitivity can theoretically be manufactured from single layer detectors. Working with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), an AS PiN diode alpha detector was developed and tested. The PiN diode was deposited on a boron-10 coated substrate. Testing confirmed that the neutron sensitivity was nearly equal to the theoretical value of 3%. However, adhesion problems with the boron-10 coating prevented successful development of a prototype detector. Future efforts will include boron deposition work and development of integrated AS signal processing circuitry.
- Research Organization:
- National Security Technologies, LLC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC52-06NA25946
- OSTI ID:
- 992607
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/25946-649; TRN: US1100406
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Health Physics Society Meeting; January 31 - February 3, 2009
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ADHESION
BORON
BORON 10
COATINGS
DEPOSITION
LIQUID CRYSTALS
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
NATIONAL SECURITY
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NEUTRONS
PROCESSING
RADIATION PROTECTION
SENSITIVITY
SILICON
TESTING
THERMAL NEUTRONS
Neutron detector
amorphous silicon
boron-10