# US 7,465,937 B2 · Dosimeter for the detection of high-energy neutron radiation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,465,937 B2 - Document ID: US7465937B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/561,287 - Filed: 2004-05-29 - Published: 2006-06-29 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2003-06-27 - Assignees: Gesellschaft fur Schwerionenforschung mbH - Inventors: Georg Fehrenbacher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7465937B2 ## CPC - G01T 3/00: Measuring neutron radiation (G01T5/00 takes precedence) - 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 dosimeter for detecting high-energy neutron radiation having a neutron converter and a detection element is proposed which is characterized by the neutron converter comprising metal atoms which convert the energy of the neutrons into protons, alpha particles and other charged nuclei in a suitable energy range so that they are detectable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dosimeter comprising: (a) a neutron converter comprising metal atoms which convert high-energy neutrons to be detected into protons, alpha particles and charged particles in a suitable energy range so that they are detectable, wherein said metal atoms of the neutron converter are stable in the sense of radioactivity; a hydrogenous material which converts fast neutrons to be detected into protons; a material suitable to cause a (n, α) reaction and/or a (n, p) reaction to convert low-energy neutrons to be detected into protons and/or alpha particles; and (b) a detection element for detecting and registering said protons, alpha particles and charged particles as produced by said three converting processes; wherein the dosimeter is operative for detecting high-energy, fast and low-energy neutrons. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the metal atoms of the neutron converter (3) have an atomic number of Z>15. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter comprises titanium, chrome, vanadium, iron, copper, wolfram and/or lead atoms. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter contains metal atoms with different atomic numbers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter comprises metal atoms of alloys. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter comprises at least two layers with metal atoms of different atomic numbers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter comprises layers with metal atoms where essentially only metal atoms with a specific atomic number are included in each layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Dosimeter from claim 7, wherein the layers of the neutron converter, viewed from the side of the dosimeter, facing the neutron radiation, contain metal atoms with descending atomic numbers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) Dosimeter from claim 7, wherein at least one of the layers with metal atoms is configured as metal foil, preferably as rolled metal foil, or polymer foil sputtered with metal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) Dosimeter from claim 7, wherein a sequence of the layers with metal atoms of different atomic numbers is matched to the energy spectrum of the neutron radiation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter, viewed from the side of the dosimeter facing the neutron radiation, has 6Li atoms and/or 10B atoms and/or 14N atoms in front of the detection element—preferably arranged in a thin layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein at least two dosimeter elements with different metal atoms for measuring the energy and/or angular distribution can be housed in a casing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) Dosimeter from claim 11, wherein the neutron converter has a hydrogenous polymer between the metal atoms and the 6Li atoms and/or 10B atoms and/or 14N atoms. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter comprises layers where the first layer facing the neutron radiation contains metal atoms, the second layer the hydrogenous polymer and the third layer 6Li and/or 10B and/or 14N atoms. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the neutron converter has fields (N1, N2, N3) with different structures arranged spatially next to each other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein a number of dosimeter elements can be arranged symmetrically on the surface of a cone in order to carry out an area monitoring and a directional distribution measurement. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein a number of dosimeter elements can be arranged on a phantom in order to carry out a directional measurement. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the detection element comprises at least one passive element and/or at least one active element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the passive element comprises organic high-molecular polymer, preferably polycarbonate or cellulose nitrate (preferably C39 or macroful), and/or an inorganic crystal and/or mineral, preferably a thermoluminescent crystal, in particular LiF, and/or inorganic glasses and/or an inorganic crystal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the active element has a semi-conductor, preferably silicon. ### Claim 21 Dosimeter from one of the preceding claims, wherein provision is made for a photon dosimeter. ### Claim 22 (depends on 7) Dosimeter from olaim4 claim 7, wherein the converter layers and the detection element can be housed in a casing which has a front and back wall and side walls. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) Dosimeter from claim 1, wherein the side walls contain borium, and/or cadmium and/or nitrogen (14N) and/or lithium atoms (6Li).