Neutron detection

A method comprising:

• providing a first electrode, a second electrode, and a material disposed between the first and second electrodes, the material comprising a first component that is sensitive to neutrons and a second component that is sensitive to gamma rays;
• providing a first voltage to the first electrode;
• providing a second voltage to the second electrode, the second voltage being more positive than the first voltage to provide a high voltage direct current field between the first and second electrodes to accelerate electrons between the first and second electrodes;
• discriminating between a neutron and a gamma ray by using a signal on the second electrode, the signal being influenced by moving charged particles generated as a result of an interaction between an incident particle or radiation and the material disposed between the first and second electrodes;
• and
• generating a detection signal indicating that a neutron has been detected when the signal on the second electrode is negative.

A method for detecting a neutron, the method comprising:

• providing a microchannel plate having an input electrode and an output electrode, the input electrode being connected to a first voltage, the output electrode being connected to a second voltage that is more positive than the first voltage to provide a high voltage direct current field between the input and output electrodes to accelerate electrons in channels of the microchannel plate;
• measuring a signal on the output electrode;
• and
• generating a signal indicating detection of a neutron when, for a first period of time, the signal at the output electrode is negative.

A method for detecting a neutron, the method comprising:

• providing a first voltage to an input electrode of a microchannel plate;
• providing a second voltage to an output electrode of the microchannel plate, the second voltage being more positive than the first voltage;
• measuring a signal on the output electrode;
• and
• providing a third voltage to an anode associated with the microchannel plate, the third voltage being more positive than the second voltage, and measuring a signal at the anode,
• wherein detecting a neutron comprises detecting a neutron when, during a period of time, the signal at the output electrode has a polarity that is the same as the signal at the anode.

A method comprising:

• providing a first electrode, a second electrode, and a material disposed between the first and second electrodes, the material comprising a first component that is sensitive to neutrons and a second component that is sensitive to gamma rays;
• providing a first voltage to the first electrode;
• providing a second voltage to the second electrode, the second voltage being more positive than the first voltage;
• discriminating between a neutron and a gamma ray by using a signal on the second electrode, the signal being influenced by moving charged particles generated as a result of an interaction between an incident particle or radiation and the material disposed between the first and second electrodes;
• generating a detection signal indicating that a neutron has been detected when the signal on the second electrode is negative;
• and
• detecting an avalanche of secondary electrons traveling in a channel in the material,
• wherein detecting the signal at the second electrode comprises detecting the signal at the second electrode after detecting the avalanche of secondary electrons.

A neutron detector comprising:

• a microchannel plate having an input electrode, an output electrode, and a glass plate comprising microscopic channels, the input electrode to be connected to a first voltage, the output electrode to be connected to a second voltage different from the first voltage;
• and
• a data processor to determine whether a neutron has been detected based on a polarity of a signal on the output electrode,
• wherein the data processor is configured to determine that a neutron has been detected when the polarity of first and second signals are the same for a first period of time and opposite for a second period of time, in which the first signal is measured at the input electrode and the second signal is measured at the output electrode.

A neutron detector comprising:

• a microchannel plate having an input electrode, an output electrode, and a glass plate comprising microscopic channels, the input electrode to be connected to a first voltage, the output electrode to be connected to a second voltage different from the first voltage;
• and
• a data processor to determine whether a neutron has been detected based on a polarity of a signal on the output electrode,
• wherein the microchannel plate comprises an anode connected to a third voltage that is more positive than the second voltage, the second voltage being more positive than the first voltage, and the data processor is configured to determine that a neutron has been detected when, during a period of time, first and second signals have different polarities, and the second signal and a third signal have the same polarity, in which the first signal is measured at the input electrode, the second signal is measured at the output electrode, and the third signal is measured at the anode.

A neutron detector comprising:

• a microchannel plate having an input electrode, an output electrode, and a glass plate comprising microscopic channels, the input electrode to be connected to a first voltage, the output electrode to be connected to a second voltage different from the first voltage;
• and
• a data processor to determine whether a neutron has been detected based on a polarity of a signal on the output electrode,
• wherein the data processor is configured to determine that a neutron has been detected when a first signal remains positive relative to a baseline value for a period of time, and a second signal is positive relative to the baseline value for a first sub-period within the period of time and is negative relative to the baseline value for a second sub-period within the period of time, in which the first signal is measured at the input electrode and the second signal is measured at the output electrode.