# US 7,745,800 B1 · Omni-directional solid-state thermal neutron detector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,745,800 B1 - Document ID: US7745800B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/713,835 - Filed: 2007-03-01 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2002-12-18 - Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Inventors: Wayne C. McGinnis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745800B1 ## CPC - G01T 3/08: with semiconductor detectors - G01T 1/00: Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation (G01T3/00, G01T5/00 take 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 directional neutron detecting apparatus includes first and second neutron detectors. Each neutron detector includes a thin planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a first ohmic electrode operably coupled to one side of the planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a second ohmic electrode operably coupled to a second side of the planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a voltage source operably coupled to the first and second ohmic electrodes; and an electrical current detector operably coupled in series between the first ohmic electrode and the voltage source. The first and second neutron detectors are arranged so that their planar neutron-reactive sheets are substantially parallel, opposing and are spaced from each other. Multiple directional neutron detecting apparatuses may be arranged mutually orthogonally to thereby provide omni-directional neutron detection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A directional neutron detecting apparatus comprising: a first neutron detector, said first neutron detector including a planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a first ohmic electrode operably coupled directly to one side of said planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a second ohmic electrode operably coupled directly to a second side of said planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a voltage source operably coupled to said first and second ohmic electrodes; and an electrical current detector operably coupled in series between said first ohmic electrode and said voltage source, and a second neutron detector, said second neutron detector including a planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a first ohmic electrode operably coupled directly to one side of said planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a second ohmic electrode operably coupled directly to a second side of said planar sheet of neutron-reactive material; a voltage source operably coupled to said first and second ohmic electrodes; and an electrical current detector operably coupled in series between said first ohmic electrode and said voltage source, wherein said first and second neutron detectors are arranged so that their planar sheets of neutron-reactive material are substantially parallel, opposing and are spaced from each other and wherein said planar sheets of neutron-reactive material each have a thickness and a planar face, said planar face having a linear dimension wherein said planar sheet is categorized by an aspect ratio, said aspect ratio being a ratio of said linear dimension to said thickness of said neutron-reactive material sheet, and further wherein said aspect ratio is at least 10. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second ohmic electrode of said first neutron detector and said second ohmic electrode of said second neutron detector are one and the same. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein a separating layer is positioned between said neutron detectors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 3 wherein said separating layer is a supporting substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 3 wherein said separating layer is substantially opaque to neutrons. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second neutron detectors further include a resistor operably coupled between the corresponding detector's voltage source and second ohmic electrode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first said directional neutron detecting apparatus is disposed orthogonally with respect to another said directional neutron detecting apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein three of said directional neutron detecting apparatuses are configured into a cube configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein three of said directional neutron detecting apparatuses are configured into a cube-corner configuration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aspect ratio is approximately 1000. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 10 wherein said neutron-reactive material is selected from the group consisting essentially of boron, gadolinium, lithium, cadmium, samarium, europium, a boron compound, a gadolinium compound, a lithium compound, a cadmium compound, a samarium compound and a europium compound. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The directional neutron detecting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said neutron-reactive material is selected from the group consisting essentially of boron, gadolinium, lithium, cadmium, samarium, europium, a boron compound, a gadolinium compound, a lithium compound, a cadmium compound, a samarium compound and a europium compound.