# US 9,753,148 B2 · Radiation sensor and methods of detecting a targeted radiation using the radiation sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,753,148 B2 - Document ID: US9753148B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/709,039 - Filed: 2015-05-11 - Published: 2015-11-26 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-22 - Assignees: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc. - Applicants: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc. - Inventors: Peter R. Menge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753148B2 ## CPC - G01T 1/17: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular type of detector {(pulse-selection circuits H03K, G01R)} - G01T 1/00: Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation (G01T3/00, G01T5/00 take precedence) - G01T 3/00: Measuring neutron radiation (G01T5/00 takes precedence) - 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 A radiation sensor can include a body configured to capture targeted radiation. In an embodiment, the body can include a topological insulator material. In another embodiment, the radiation sensor can further include a controllable magnetic source configured to generate a magnetic field that is received by the body. The radiation sensor can be used to detect the targeted radiation. In an embodiment, detecting the targeted radiation can be done in not greater than 100 ns. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A radiation sensor, comprising a body including a topological insulator material, wherein the body is configured to capture a targeted radiation including a gamma ray, a neutron, an alpha particle, a beta particle, an X-ray, or any combination thereof, and wherein the radiation sensor is configured to detect the targeted radiation in not greater than 100 ns. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The radiation sensor of claim 1, further comprising: an input terminal coupled to a first surface of the body; and an output terminal coupled to a second surface of the body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The radiation sensor of claim 2, further comprising a current sensor coupled to the input terminal or the output terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The radiation sensor of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a bulk and at least one surface, the bulk being an electrical insulator and the surface being electrically conductive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The radiation sensor of claim 1, wherein the radiation sensor comprises an array of the bodies, each body having a width, length, and depth. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A nuclear gauging device, comprising the radiation sensor of claim 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A neutron multiplicity counter, comprising the radiation sensor of claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A positron emission tomography system, comprising the radiation sensor of claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A neutron spectroscopy, comprising the radiation sensor of claim 1. ### Claim 10 A radiation sensor, comprising: a body configured to capture a targeted radiation including a gamma ray, a neutron, an alpha particle, a beta particle, an X-ray, or any combination thereof, wherein the body comprises a topological insulator material; and a first controllable magnetic source configured to generate a magnetic field that is received by the body, wherein the radiation sensor is configured to detect the targeted radiation in not greater than 100 ns. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The radiation sensor of claim 10, wherein the body comprises a chalcogenide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The radiation sensor of claim 10, further comprising: an input terminal coupled to a first surface of the body; and an output terminal coupled to a second surface of the body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The radiation sensor of claim 10, comprising a magnetic field perturbation sensor configured to detect a perturbation of the first magnetic field. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The radiation sensor of claim 10, wherein the radiation sensor comprises an array of the bodies, each body including a topological insulator material and configured to decrease a resistivity in response to capturing a targeted radiation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The radiation sensor of claim 14, wherein: a first surface and a second surface of at least one of the bodies are coupled to an input terminal and an output terminal, respectively; and a current sensor is coupled to the input terminal or the output terminal. ### Claim 16 A method of detecting a targeted radiation using a radiation sensor, comprising: capturing the targeted radiation within a body of the radiation sensor, wherein the body comprises a topological insulator material; and detecting the capture of the targeted radiation in not greater than 100 ns, wherein the targeted radiation including a gamma ray, a neutron, an alpha particle, a beta particle, an X-ray, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising measuring energy of the targeted radiation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising applying a voltage difference across the body, wherein detecting the capture of the targeted radiation comprises sensing a decrease in current. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising applying a first magnetic field to the body, wherein detecting the capture of the targeted radiation comprises detecting a perturbation of the first magnetic field in response to capturing the targeted radiation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising increasing a resistivity of a surface of the body in response to capturing the targeted radiation.