# US 9,006,672 B2 · Neutron detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,006,672 B2 - Document ID: US9006672B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/449,808 - Filed: 2014-08-01 - Published: 2014-11-20 - Granted: 2015-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-23 - Assignees: Nova Scientific, Inc. - Applicants: Nova Scientific, Inc. - Inventors: W. Bruce Feller; Paul L. White - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9006672B2 ## CPC - H01J 47/1205: {using nuclear reactions of the type (n, alpha) in solid materials, e.g. Boron-10 (n,alpha) Lithium-7, Lithium-6 (n, alpha)Hydrogen-3} - G01T 3/00: Measuring neutron radiation (G01T5/00 takes precedence) - G01T 3/06: with scintillation detectors - G01T 3/08: with semiconductor detectors - G01T 3/085: {Spectrometry} - G01V 5/281: {detecting special nuclear material [SNM], e.g. Uranium-235, Uranium-233 or Plutonium-239} - H10F 30/301: {the devices being sensitive to very short wavelength, e.g. being sensitive to X-rays, gamma-rays or corpuscular radiation} - H10F 77/14: Shape of semiconductor bodies; Shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of semiconductor regions within semiconductor bodies - H10F 77/30: Coatings (arrangements for preventing damage to photovoltaic cells caused by corpuscular radiation H10F77/80) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - 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) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract A neutron detector includes a microchannel plate having a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels, and layers of materials disposed on walls of the microchannels. The layers include a layer of neutron sensitive material, a layer of semiconducting material, and a layer of electron emissive material. For example, the layer of neutron sensitive material can include boron-10, lithium-6, or gadolinium. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a microfiber plate comprising: a plurality of microfibers that define interstices between the microfibers; layers of materials disposed on surfaces of the microfibers, the layers including a layer of neutron sensitive material, a layer of semiconducting material, and a layer of electron emissive material, in which the layer of semiconducting material does not include neutron sensitive material; an input electrode; and an output electrode, in which the microfibers are disposed between the input and output electrodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the layer of neutron sensitive material comprises at least 50 mol % of neutron sensitive material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the layer of neutron sensitive material comprises at least one of boron-10, lithium-6, or gadolinium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the layer of neutron sensitive material comprises a compound that comprises at least one of boron-10, lithium-6, or gadolinium, and the compound comprises at least one of boron-10 oxide, boron-10 nitride, lithium-6 oxide, or gadolinium oxide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the layer of neutron sensitive material has a thickness in a range from 0.5 to 5 microns. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the layer of semiconducting material has a thickness in a range from 50 to 1000 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 in which the semiconducting material comprises AlZnxOy alloy, x and y being positive integers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a data processor to determine whether a neutron has been detected based on information derived from a charge induced on the output electrode. ### Claim 9 A method of fabricating a microfiber plate, the method comprising: providing a plurality of microfibers that define interstices between the microfibers; and depositing layers of materials on surfaces of the microfibers, including depositing a layer of neutron sensitive material, depositing a layer of semiconducting material, and depositing a layer of electron emissive material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 in which depositing a layer of neutron sensitive material comprises using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of neutron sensitive material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 in which using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of neutron sensitive material comprises using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of a material comprising at least one of boron-10, gadolinium, or lithium-6. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 in which using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of neutron sensitive material comprises using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of compound material comprising at least one of boron-10, gadolinium, or lithium-6, and the compound material comprises at least one of boron-10 oxide, boron-10 nitride, lithium-6 oxide, or gadolinium oxide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 in which using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of neutron sensitive material comprises using atomic layer deposition to deposit at least two of boron-10, lithium-6, or gadolinium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 in which depositing a layer of semiconducting material comprises using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of semiconducting material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 in which depositing a layer of electron emissive material comprises using atomic layer deposition to deposit a layer of electron emissive material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 in which depositing a layer of neutron sensitive material, a layer of semiconducting material, and a layer of electron emissive material on the microfibers comprises depositing a layer of neutron sensitive material, followed by depositing a layer of semiconducting material, and followed by depositing a layer of electron emissive material on the microfibers. ### Claim 17 A method of detecting neutrons, the method comprising: using a layer of neutron sensitive material formed on surfaces of microfibers of a microfiber plate to capture a neutron and generate at least one reactant particle; detecting secondary electrons that are generated based on an interaction between the reactant particle and a layer of electron emissive material on the surfaces of the microfibers; flowing a bias current through a layer of a semiconducting material formed on a surface of each of at least some of the microfibers to neutralize positive surface charges due to emission of secondary electrons, the layer of the semiconducting material not containing the neutron sensitive material; and generating a first signal indicating detection of a neutron. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a second signal indicating detection of the secondary electrons, generating a third signal indicating detection of a gamma ray, determining whether the third signal occurred within a specified time period after occurrence of the second signal, and generating the first signal only if the third signal occurred within the specified time period after occurrence of the second signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, comprising determining whether a neutron has been detected based on information derived from a charge induced on an output electrode of the microfiber plate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, comprising determining whether a neutron has been detected based on first information derived from a first charge induced on an input electrode of the microfiber plate and second information derived from a second charge induced on the output electrode of the microfiber plate.