The University of New Mexico

Nathan J Withers

Marek A Osinski

Gennady A Smolyakov

Brian A Akins

Krishnaprasad Sankar

John Bryan Plumley

Antonio C Rivera

Jose M Vargas

Omar K Qassim

A semiconductor photodetector comprising a closed loop configured to receive light from an external source adapted to trap light within said closed loop until absorption by the semiconductor.

Ring-geometry photodetector designs for high-sensitivity and high-speed detection of optical signals for fiber optic and integrated optoelectronic devices

A heterogeneous scintillator material is provided comprising core/shell nanoparticles having a highly hygroscopic or deliquescent halide-based core activated with trivalent Lnor divalent Lnlanthanide ions (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) and a stable non-hygroscopic shell thereon. The heterogeneous nanoparticles can comprise highly hygroscopic lanthanide halide (LaBr, LuI) cores protected with stable non-hygroscopic LaFshells. The heterogeneous nanoparticles can comprise deliquescent alkaline earth halide (SrI, BaI) cores protected with stable non-hygroscopic (SrF, BaF) shells.

Halide-based scintillator nanomaterial

A thermal neutron detector and method employ Gd-containing nanoscintillators. Thermal neutron radiation is detected by observing scintillation events from the nanoscintillators.

Thermal neutron detectors based on gadolinium-containing nanoscintillators

A neutron irradiation history sensor and detection method for detection of thermal neutrons exploit transmutation ofDy intoHo andEr and significant differences in optical properties of Dy, Ho, and Er in order to enable detection of relative fractions of Dy, Ho, and Er and thus the degree and timing of prior thermal neutron exposure that has occurred, providing a tamper-proof forensic record of the prior thermal neutron exposure. The irradiation history sensor and detection method advantageously employ Dy-containing nanocrytals (NCs) residing in a transparent host.

Nanocrystalline optically-based neutron irradiation history sensor

Scintillator material comprising nanoparticles (nanocrystals) comprising lead (Pb), iodine (I), and optionally one or both of oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) wherein the nanoparticles exhibit room-temperature scintillation under gamma irradiation. The scintillator nanoparticles can comprise PbOI. The scintillator nanoparticles can comprise PbIOH in generally equiatomic proportions or non-equiatomic variants thereof that exhibit scintillation under gamma irradiation. The scintillator nanoparticles have a particle dimension in the range of about 5 to about 100 nm. Microparticles (microcrystals) also are provided comprising lead (Pb), iodine (I), and optionally one or both of oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) grown in a nanoparticle colloidal solution over time to a particle dimension greater than 0.1 &#x3bc;m, such as about 2 microns. A heterogeneous scintillator material is provided comprising core/shell nanoparticles having a highly hygroscopic or deliquescent halide-based core activated with trivalent Lnor divalent Lnlanthanide ions (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) and a stable non-hygroscopic shell thereon. The heterogeneous nanoparticles can comprise highly hygroscopic lanthanide halide (LaBr, LuI) cores protected with stable non-hygroscopic LaFshells. The heterogeneous nanoparticles can comprise deliquescent alkaline earth halide (SrI, BaI) cores protected with stable non-hygroscopic (SrF, BaF) shells.

A semiconductor ring laser (SRL) section is monolithically integrated with a DFB or DBR master laser section on a semiconductor substrate of a light-emitting device to provide an injection locking mode of operation that can result in low-cost ultrafast (over 100 GHz) functional chip that will be easy to use in practice.

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Nathan J Withers