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US 8,558,187 B1Granted
Neutron detection
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorWilliam Arnold Seidler, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for neutron detection. The method comprises receiving neutrons into a number of sensing layers of a plurality of diodes of a number of arrays. Each diode has a sensing layer. A plurality of reactions between the neutrons and each sensing layer of the number of sensing layers are captured in a set of layers for each sensing layer in the number of sensing layers. Each sensing layer is located between the set of layers for each sensing layer. Each set of layers are intrinsic. The method also comprises generating a current pulse for each sensing layer of the number of sensing layers in response to capturing the result of a reaction between the neutrons and each sensing layer of the number of sensing layers.
Claims21
An apparatus comprising:
- a first semiconductor layer, wherein the first semiconductor layer is substantially non-conducting and is substantially undoped, the first semiconductor layer having a first side and a second side;
- a sensing layer located under the first semiconductor layer, the sensing layer comprising a layer of semiconductor material having a Boron 10 p-type dopant wherein the sensing layer is configured to react when neutrons move into the sensing layer;
- a second semiconductor layer located under the sensing layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer is substantially non-conducting and is substantially undoped, the second semiconductor layer having a first side and a second side;
- a first conductive layer located on the second side the first semiconductor layer;
- and
- a second conductive layer located on the second side of the second semiconductor layer, wherein the sensing layer is located on the first side of the first semiconductor layer and the first side of the second semiconductor layer, and wherein the sensing layer is configured such that a neutron captured in the boron 10 sensing layer generates a helium 4 and a lithium 7 nuclei that scatter into the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer.
3 more elements
A system for detecting neutrons comprising:
- a plurality of arrays arranged in a stack;
- a plurality of diodes in the plurality of arrays in the stack;
- and
- plurality of sensing layers, wherein a sensing layer in the plurality of sensing layers is located within each diode of the plurality of diodes and the sensing layer reacts in response to a presence of neutrons, the sensing layer positioned between a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, a first conductive layer located on a side the first semiconductor layer opposite the sensing layer and a second conductive layer located on a side of the second semiconductor layer opposite the sensing layer, at least one sensing layer comprising a layer of semiconductor material having a Boron 10 p-type dopant, and the at least one sensing layer configured such that a neutron captured in the boron 10 sensing layer generates a helium 4 and a lithium 7 nuclei that scatter into the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer of the diodes positioned above and below the sensing layer.
1 more element
A method for creating a neutron detector comprising:
- creating a number of diodes comprising a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which are intrinsic on either side of a sensing layer, the sensing layer comprising a conductor and reacts to neutrons, the sensing layer comprising a layer of semiconductor material having a Boron 10 p-type dopant, and the sensing layer configured such that a neutron captured in the boron 10 sensing layer generates a helium 4 and a lithium 7 nuclei that scatter into layers of the diodes positioned above and below the sensing layer, a first conductive layer located on a side the first semiconductor layer opposite the sensing layer and a second conductive layer located on a side of the second semiconductor layer opposite the sensing layer;
- laying out a first array of a first set of the number of diodes;
- laying out a second array of a second set of the number of diodes;
- and
- stacking the first array and the second array to form a stack of arrays, wherein the number of diodes in the stack of arrays are configured to detect neutrons and provide data based on which diodes in the number of diodes in the stack of arrays detect neutrons.
2 more elements
A method for neutron detection comprising:
- receiving neutrons into a number of sensing layers of a plurality of diodes of a number of arrays with each diode having a sensing layer, the sensing layer comprising a layer of semiconductor material having a Boron 10 p-type dopant, each diode comprising the sensing layer positioned between a first semiconductor and a second semiconductor, a first conductive layer located on a side the first semiconductor layer opposite the sensing layer and a second conductive layer located on a side of the second semiconductor layer opposite the sensing layer;
- capturing, in the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer which are intrinsic a plurality of reactions between the neutrons and each sensing layer of the number of sensing layers including capturing helium 4 and lithium 7 nuclei that scatter into the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;
- and
- responsive to capturing a result of a reaction between the neutrons and each sensing layer of the number of sensing layers, generating a current pulse for each sensing layer of the number of sensing layers.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.