# US 2014/0151567 A1 · Neutron spectrometer

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- Number: US 2014/0151567 A1
- Document ID: US20140151567A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/665,027
- Filed: 2012-10-31
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-11-01
- Assignees: Merrill Corporation
- Inventors: David M. SLAUGHTER; Reinhard M. KLAASS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151567A1

## CPC

- G01T 3/001: {Spectrometry}
- G01T 3/065: {Spectrometry}
- 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 spectrometer that is more accurate, faster, and more-portable than conventional spectrometers includes an organic scintillator responsive to neutrons and gammas and an inorganic scintillator that captures neutrons. A processor receives signals representative of scintillations in the organic scintillator and in the inorganic scintillator and discriminates neutron signals from gamma signals. The processor also determines pulse areas for neutron moderating signals and performs unfolding based on the determined pulse areas to produce a neutron energy spectrum and/or dose information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A neutron spectrometer, comprising:
an organic scintillator responsive to neutrons and gammas;
an inorganic scintillator that captures neutrons;
a processor which
receives signals representative of scintillations in the organic scintillator and in the inorganic scintillator and discriminates neutron signals from gamma signals;
determines pulse areas for neutron moderating signals; and
performs unfolding based on the determined pulse areas to produce a neutron energy spectrum.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor uses sequential least squares processing to produce the neutron energy spectrum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the organic scintillator comprises poly-vinyl-toluene.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inorganic scintillator comprises lithium gadolinium borate or lithium yttrium borate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the unfolding uses ratios of pulse areas.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor uses a matrix that associates pulse area distribution with neutron energy.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inorganic scintillator is distributed in a matrix formed of the organic scintillator.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor uses pulse area distributions that are characteristic of different neutron energy ranges.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor discriminates neutron signals from gamma signals based at least on decay constant and pulse area.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor uses smoothed sequential least squares processing to produce the neutron energy spectrum in real time.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor performs integration to determine said pulse areas.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor curve fits decreasing edge data points to calculate a pulse decay constant.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:
a display configured to display pulse parameters; and
an input unit configured to receive from a user at least one pulse parameter setting for use by the processor to discriminate signals.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor identifies pulse pairs having a time-to-capture above a threshold as background.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor identifies pulses with a combination of decay constant and pulse area as gamma pulses.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a photomultiplier tube.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A neutron spectrometer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the neutron spectrometer is configured to serve as a dosimeter.