Other

University of Missouri

Kansas State University Research Foundation

Radiation Detection Technologies, Inc.

Ryan G Fronk

Douglas Scott McGregor

Steven Lawrence Bellinger

Anthony N Caruso

William H Miller

John K Shultis

Brian Cooper

Thomas M Oakes

Eliot R Myers

Cory B Hoshor

Philip B Ugorowski

William L Dunn

Brent J Rogers

Simon Bolding

Timothy J Sobering

Joseph A Crow

James Currie

Stephen M Young

Michael A Reichenberger

A radiation detector to monitor the neutron flux of a nuclear reactor or other high-radiation environment, that can withstand the high temperatures and radiation fields of such environment, is provided. A small dielectric substrate with a low neutron-activation cross section is provided. The substrate is coated with a neutron conversion material, such as uranium oxide or thorium oxide. One or more substrates form a micro-sized detection cavity that is filled with a detection gas. A voltage is provided across anode and cathode wires in the detection cavity. A neutron absorbed in the conversion material may release reaction products into the gas, causing ionization of the gas which then produces a current or voltage signal. The small detector volume minimizes energy deposition into the detection gas by competing particles such as gamma rays, fast electrons, and beta particles, and therefore minimizes false counts while retaining large signals from neutron interactions.

Micro cavity fission chamber radiation detection system

A semiconductor neutron detector and a semiconductor process is provided to manufacture a semiconductor neutron detector. First, a substrate with flat surface having a dielectric layer is formed thereon is provided. Thereafter, a masking pattern is applied and etched into the dielectric layer to expose semiconductor features on opposite sides of the substrate. The semiconductor substrate is submerged into an etchant composed of a semiconductor etching solution to etch deep cavities into the substrate in the exposed regions. Afterwards, dopant impurities are introduced and are driven into the semiconductor, under high temperature, into opposite sides of the etched features to produce one or more rectifying junctions. Afterwards, LiF and/or B particles are forced into the cavities through high velocity methods.

High-efficiency microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors and process to fabricate high-efficiency microstructured semiconductor neutron detectors

A neutron detection apparatus includes a neutron detector and an analyzer. The neutron detector includes a plurality of neutron detector assemblies, where each of the neutron detector assemblies includes a plurality of neutron detection devices. The neutron detector also includes a moderating volume. The plurality of neutron detector assemblies are disposed within the moderating volume so as to form a three-dimensional array of neutron detection devices within the moderating volume. The analyzer is communicatively coupled to each of the neutron detection devices of the plurality of neutron detector assemblies. The analyzer configured to receive one or more measured response signals from each of the neutron detection devices, and perform one or more analysis procedures to determine one or more characteristics associated with the one or more neutron sources based at least on the received one or more measured response signals.

Apparatus and method for the determination of one or more neutron source characteristics

A neutron detection system may include a neutron detector including a plurality of neutron detection devices, a plurality of discrete neutron moderating elements, wherein each of the neutron moderating elements is disposed between two or more neutron detection devices, the plurality of neutron detection devices and the plurality of discrete neutron moderating elements disposed along a common axis, a control system configured to generate a detector response library, wherein the detector response library includes one or more sets of data indicative of a response of the detector to a known neutron source, receive one or more measured neutron response signals from each of the neutron devices, the one or more measured response signals response to a detected neutron event, and determine one or more characteristics of neutrons emanating from a measured neutron source by comparing the one or more measured neutron response signals to the detector response library.

Apparatus and method for determination of one or more free neutron characteristics

A neutron detection system includes a plurality of neutron detector assemblies, the neutron detector assemblies including a plurality of neutron detection devices, wherein the neutron detection devices are configured to detect one or more characteristics of neutrons emanating from one or more neutron sources and impinging on one or more neutron detection devices; a plurality of discrete moderating elements, wherein each of the discrete moderating elements is disposed proximate to at least one neutron detector assembly, the plurality of neutron detector assemblies and the plurality of discrete moderating elements disposed along a common axis, wherein the discrete moderating elements are configured to moderate the energy of neutrons impinging on one or more of the neutron-photon detector assemblies; and a control system configured to: determine one or more characteristics associated with the one or more neutron sources based on the received one or more measured response signals.

A method of making a neutron detector such as a microstructured semiconductor neutron detector is provided. The method includes the step of providing a particle-detecting substrate having a surface and a plurality of cavities extending into the substrate from the surface. The method also includes filling the plurality of cavities with a neutron-responsive material. The step of filling including the step of centrifuging nanoparticles of the neutron-responsive material with the substrate for a time and a rotational velocity sufficient to backfill the cavities with the nanoparticles. The material is responsive to neutrons absorbed, thereby, for releasing ionizing radiation reaction products.

Method of fabricating a neutron detector such as a microstructured semiconductor neutron detector

Growing community of inventors

Manhattan, KS, United States of America

Ryan G Fronk