Neutron detector with neutron converter, method for manufacturing the neutron detector and neutron imaging apparatus

A neutron detecting device for detecting neutrons, wherein the detector comprises:

• a neutron reactive material adapted to interact with neutrons to be detected and release ionizing radiation reaction products in relation to said interactions with neutrons;
• a first semiconductor element, said first semiconductor element being coupled with said neutron reactive material and adapted to interact with said ionizing radiation reaction products and provide electrical charges proportional to the energy of said ionizing radiation reaction products;
• and
• electrodes arranged in connection with said first semiconductor element for providing charge collecting areas for collecting the electrical charges and to provide electrically readable signal proportional to said collected electrical charges,
• wherein said neutron reactive material is located on the same side of the first semiconducting element as the electrodes,
• wherein said electrodes comprise a plurality of bump-pad areas and bump-bonding elements for connection to read-out electronics operative to receive said electrically readable signal, and further wherein said neutron reactive material is arranged between said bump-pad areas, and
• wherein the neutron detecting device further comprises user interface means for controlling the operation of the device, memory means for storing and a display means for displaying information related to said detected neutrons.

An arrangement for detecting neutrons, wherein the arrangement comprises at least one detector, and wherein the detector comprises:

• a neutron reactive material adapted to interact with neutrons to be detected and release ionizing radiation reaction products in relation to said interactions with neutrons;
• a first semiconductor element, said first semiconductor element being coupled with said neutron reactive material and adapted to interact with said ionizing radiation reaction products and provide electrical charges proportional to the energy of said ionizing radiation reaction products;
• and
• electrodes arranged in connection with said first semiconductor element for providing charge collecting areas for collecting the electrical charges and to provide electrically readable signal proportional to said collected electrical charges,
• wherein said neutron reactive material is located on the same side of the first semiconducting element as the electrodes,
• wherein said electrodes comprise a plurality of bump-pad areas and bump-bonding elements for connection to read-out electronics operative to receive said electrically readable signal, and further wherein said neutron reactive material is arranged between said bump-pad areas, and
• wherein the detector is in addition coupled with a data transmission means for transmitting information measured by said detector via a data communications network to a data receiving means of the arrangement.

A neutron imaging apparatus for providing a tomographic image of an object to be imaged, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one detector for detecting neutrons penetrating through the object and wherein the detector comprises:

• a neutron reactive material adapted to interact with neutrons to be detected and release ionizing radiation reaction products in relation to said interactions with neutrons;
• a first semiconductor element, said first semiconductor element being coupled with said neutron reactive material and adapted to interact with said ionizing radiation reaction products and provide electrical charges proportional to the energy of said ionizing radiation reaction products;
• and
• electrodes arranged in connection with said first semiconductor element for providing charge collecting areas for collecting the electrical charges and to provide electrically readable signal proportional to said collected electrical charges,
• wherein said neutron reactive material is located on the same side of the first semiconducting element as the electrodes,
• wherein said electrodes comprise a plurality of bump-pad areas and bump-bonding elements for connection to read-out electronics operative to receive said electrically readable signal, and further wherein said neutron reactive material is arranged between said bump-pad areas, and
• wherein the neutron imaging apparatus further comprises image constructing means for constructing said tomographic image using the measuring information related to said neutrons detected by said detector.

A method of manufacturing the detector, wherein the detector comprises:

• a neutron reactive material adapted to interact with neutrons to be detected and release ionizing radiation reaction products in relation to said interactions with neutrons;
• a first semiconductor element, said first semiconductor element being coupled with said neutron reactive material and adapted to interact with said ionizing radiation reaction products and provide electrical charges proportional to the energy of said ionizing radiation reaction products;
• electrodes arranged in connection with said first semiconductor element for providing charge collecting areas for collecting the electrical charges and to provide electrically readable signal proportional to said collected electrical charges, and
• wherein said neutron reactive material being located on the same side of the first semiconducting element as the electrodes,
• wherein said electrodes comprise a plurality of bump-pad areas and bump-bonding elements for connection to read-out electronics operative to receive said electrically readable signal, and further wherein said neutron reactive material is arranged between said bump-pad areas, and
• wherein the method the neutron reactive material is arranged on and/or inside the first semiconductor element by applying a surface deposition method, including any one of laser ablation, atomic layer deposition (ALD), photolithography or sputtering technique.

A method of manufacturing the detector, wherein the detector comprises:

• a neutron reactive material adapted to interact with neutrons to be detected and release ionizing radiation reaction products in relation to said interactions with neutrons;
• a first semiconductor element, said first semiconductor element being coupled with said neutron reactive material and adapted to interact with said ionizing radiation reaction products and provide electrical charges proportional to the energy of said ionizing radiation reaction products;
• and
• electrodes arranged in connection with said first semiconductor element for providing charge collecting areas for collecting the electrical charges and to provide electrically readable signal proportional to said collected electrical charges,
• wherein said neutron reactive material is located on the same side of the first semiconducting element as the electrodes,
• wherein said electrodes comprise a plurality of bump-pad areas and bump-bonding elements for connection to read-out electronics operative to receive said electrically readable signal, and further wherein said neutron reactive material is arranged between said bump-pad areas, and
• wherein the method the first semiconductor element is bump-bonded on a read-out electronics via plurality of bump-pad areas and bump-bonding elements, and wherein the neutron reactive material is arranged between bump-pad areas, between the read-out electronics and bump-bonding elements and/or inside said bump-bonding elements.