# US 2014/0151565 A1 · System, Method, and Apparatus for Detecting Neutrons > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151565 A1 - Document ID: US20140151565A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/077,874 - Filed: 2013-11-12 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-09 - Assignees: Part Tec, Ltd. - Inventors: Robert Forgas; Joshua Liechty; Craig R. Kline - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151565A1 ## CPC - G01T 3/06: with scintillation detectors - G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00) ## Abstract A neutron detector is disclosed that includes a generally elongate sealed housing. A scintillator based neutron detection assembly is positioned within the elongate housing. The scintillator based neutron detection assembly includes a reflective portion, a plurality of optical fibers, and a scintillator portion. A fiber guide is connected with an end of said scintillator based neutron detection assembly and an end of the at least one bundle of fibers from the plurality of optical fibers is positioned in an output port in the fiber guide. A sensor assembly is included and is connected with the end of the bundle of fibers. An output connector is located on a front end of the generally elongate sealed housing for transmitting an output voltage in response to a neutron event. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A neutron detector, comprising: a generally elongate sealed housing; a scintillator based neutron detection assembly positioned within said elongate housing, wherein said scintillator based neutron detection assembly includes a reflective portion, a plurality of optical fibers, and a scintillator portion, wherein said optical fibers are positioned between said reflective portion and said scintillator portion; a fiber guide connected with an end of said scintillator based neutron detection assembly and positioned within said generally elongate sealed housing, wherein at least one bundle of fibers from said plurality of optical fibers is positioned in an output port in said fiber guide; a sensor assembly connected with an end of said fiber guide such that at least one photo responsive input of a photomultiplier tube is aligned with said at least one bundle of fibers in said output port; and an output connector located on a front end of said generally elongate sealed housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The neutron detector of claim 1, wherein said scintillator based neutron detection assembly has a tubular shape, wherein said reflective portion comprises a reflective material located on an inside wall of said elongate sealed housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The neutron detector of claim 2, wherein said scintillator portion is wrapped around an inner tube positioned within said elongate sealed housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The neutron detector of claim 1 wherein said scintillator based neutron detection assembly has a generally tubular configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The neutron detector of claim 1, wherein said sensor assembly includes a sensor board connected with said photomultiplier tube and said output connector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The neutron detector of claim 5, further comprising a high voltage board connected with said photomultiplier tube, wherein said high voltage board is operable to provide power to said photomultiplier tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The neutron detector of claim 1, wherein said photomultiplier tube is positioned within a magnetic shield. ### Claim 8 A neutron detector, comprising: a generally elongate housing; a stacked scintillator assembly comprising a first scintillator layer, a first plurality of fibers positioned below said first scintillator layer, a second scintillator layer below said first plurality of fibers, a second plurality of fibers positioned below said second scintillator layer, and a third scintillator layer positioned below said second plurality of fibers, wherein said stacked scintillator is positioned between an upper securing device and a lower securing device; a fiber interface connected with at least one bundle of fibers formed from said first and second plurality of fibers; a sensor assembly having a photomultiplier tube arranged such that a photo responsive input of said photomultiplier tube is adjacent an end of said bundle of fibers; and an output connector connected with an output of said photomultiplier tube. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The neutron detector of claim 8, wherein said first, second, and third scintillator layers and said first and second plurality of fibers are parallel with one another. ### Claim 10 A neutron detector, comprising: a plurality of fiber bundles, each of said fiber bundles comprising optical fiber coupled to a scintillator, and wherein the optical fibers of a given bundle do not include any adjacent optical fibers; at least one photomultiplier tube (PMT) having a plurality of photo responsive inputs, each photo responsive input optically isolated from one or more of the fiber bundles, such that all fibers coupled to a photo responsive input do not include any adjacent fibers; and a high voltage board electrically coupled to the PMT; and a sensor board electrically coupled to the PMT.