Systems and methods for detecting neutrons
AssigneeUniversities Research Association, Inc.
InventorsAlan D. Bross, Kerry L. Mellott, Anna Pla-Dalmau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting neutrons are disclosed. One or more neutron-sensitive scintillators can be configured from a plurality of nano-sized particles and a plastic material, such as polystyrene. The nano-sized particles can be compounded into the plastic material with at least one dopant that permits the plastic material to scintillate. One or more plastic light collectors can be associated with a neutron-sensitive scintillator, such that the plastic light collector includes a central hole thereof. A wavelength-shifting fiber can then be located within the hole. The wavelength shifting (WLS) fiber absorbs scintillation light having a wavelength thereof and remits the light at a longer wavelength.
Claims20
A system for detecting neutrons, said system comprising:
- at least one neutron-sensitive scintillator configured from a plurality of nano-sized particles and a plastic material;
- at least one plastic light collector associated with said at least one neutron-sensitive scintillator, wherein said at least plastic light collector includes a central hole thereof;
- a wavelength-shifting fiber located within said hole, wherein said wavelength-shifting fiber absorbs scintillation light having a wavelength thereof and remits said light at a longer wavelength.
An integrated radiation detection-identification system, said integrated radiation detection-identification system comprising:
- a neutron-only scintillator layer comprising a plurality of neutron-sensitive scintillators configured from a plurality of nano-sized particles and a plastic material, wherein each of said neutron-sensitive scintillators are associated with a plastic light collector having a central hole thereof and a wavelength-shifting fiber located within said hole, wherein said wavelength-shifting fiber absorbs scintillation light having a wavelength thereof and remits said light at a longer wavelength;
- and
- a plurality of radiation scintillator layers associated with said neutron-only scintillator layer.
A method for detecting neutrons, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming at least one neutron-sensitive scintillator from a plurality of nano-sized particles and a plastic material;
- associating at least one plastic light collector from said at least one neutron-sensitive scintillator, wherein said at least plastic light collector includes a central hole thereof;
- locating a wavelength-shifting fiber within said hole, wherein said wavelength-shifting fiber absorbs scintillation light having a wavelength thereof and remits said light at a longer wavelength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.