# US 8,569,708 B2 · High sensitivity, solid state neutron detector

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- Number: US 8,569,708 B2
- Document ID: US8569708B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/146,780
- Filed: 2009-01-30
- Published: 2011-11-24
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-01-30
- Assignees: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
- Applicants: Pauls Stradins; Howard M. Branz; Qi Wang; Harold R. McHugh
- Inventors: Pauls Stradins; Howard M. Branz; Qi Wang; Harold R. McHugh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569708B2

## CPC

- H10F 30/29: the devices being sensitive to radiation having very short wavelengths, e.g. X-rays, gamma-rays or corpuscular radiation
- G01T 3/00: Measuring neutron radiation (G01T5/00 takes precedence)
- G01T 3/08: with semiconductor detectors
- H10F 77/00: Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass (constructional details of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00)
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- 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

An apparatus (200) for detecting slow or thermal neutrons (160) including an alpha particle-detecting layer (240) that is a hydrogenated amorphous silicon p-i-n diode structure. The apparatus includes a bottom metal contact (220) and a top metal contact (250) with the diode structure (240) positioned between the two contacts (220, 250) to facilitate detection of alpha particles (170). The apparatus (200) includes a neutron conversion layer (230) formed of a material containing boron-10 isotopes. The top contact (250) is pixilated with each contact pixel extending to or proximate to an edge of the apparatus to facilitate electrical contacting. The contact pixels have elongated bodies to allow them to extend across the apparatus surface (242) with each pixel having a small surface area to match capacitance based upon a current spike detecting circuit or amplifier connected to each pixel. The neutron conversion layer (860) may be deposited on the contact pixels (830) such as with use of inkjet printing of nanoparticle ink.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of fabricating a neutron detection device, comprising:
providing an alpha particle detecting layer comprising an amorphous silicon diode thin-film structure;
forming a top metal contact upon the diode thin-film structure comprising a plurality of elongated pixels; and
providing a layer of boron-10 containing material proximate to the diode thin-film structure;
wherein the providing of the boron-10 containing material comprises depositing an ink comprising particles of boron-10 containing material or boron-10 containing molecules.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ink is applied by depositing a layer on top of or below the alpha particle detecting layer using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of spin-coating, spraying, and inkjet printing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ink is applied to the pixels of the top metal contact.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the neutron conversion layer comprises an additive selected such that the neutron conversion layer is electrically insulating.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ink is applied to a substrate, and the providing of the layer of boron-10 containing material further includes attaching the substrate to a substrate supporting the diode thin-film structure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise nanoparticles of elemental boron, B-10 boron carbide, or B-10 boron nitride.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the diode thin-film structure comprises thin-film deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon upon a flexible substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, at least once, repeating the providing of the diode thin-film structure, the forming of the top metal contact, and the providing of the layer of boron-10 containing material to form a stack of neutron detectors comprising neutron converter material, thin film silicon material, and metal contacting materials.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a bottom metal contact proximate to the alpha particle detecting layer and generating holes in at least one of the bottom and top metal contacts to provide passages for alpha particles transmitted from the layer of boron-10, whereby fewer of the alpha particles are blocked.