Neutron detection
AssigneeNova Scientific, Inc.
InventorsW. Bruce Feller, Paul L. White
Life of this patent
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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 at least one of hafnium (Hf), samarium (Sm), erbium (Er), neodymium (Nd), tantalum (Ta), lutetium (Lu), europium (Eu), dysposium (Dy), or thulium (Tm).
Claims65
An apparatus comprising:
- a microchannel plate comprising a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels;
- and
- layers of materials disposed on walls of the microchannels, 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 neutron sensitive material comprises at least one of erbium (Er), neodymium (Nd), tantalum (Ta), or thulium (Tm).
A method of fabricating a microchannel plate, the method comprising:
- fabricating a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels;
- and
- depositing a layer of neutron sensitive material, a layer of semiconducting material, and a layer of electron emissive material on walls of the microchannels, in which the layer of neutron sensitive material comprises at least one of erbium (Er), neodymium (Nd), tantalum (Ta), or thulium (Tm).
A method of detecting neutrons, the method comprising:
- using a layer of neutron sensitive material formed on a wall of a microchannel of a microchannel plate to capture a neutron and generate at least one reactant particle, the microchannel plate comprising a glass plate having a structure that defines the microchannel, the glass plate comprising glass having less than 25 mol % lead (Pb) and less than 20 mol % of the neutron sensitive material, in which the neutron sensitive material comprises at least one of erbium (Er), neodymium (Nd), tantalum (Ta), or thulium (Tm);
- detecting secondary electrons that are generated based on an interaction between the reactant particle and a layer of electron emissive material on the wall of the microchannel;
- and
- generating a first signal indicating detection of a neutron.
An apparatus comprising:
- a neutron detector configured to detect neutrons having energy higher than 0.025 eV, the neutron detector including:
- a microchannel plate having a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels, in which the structure includes a neutron sensitive material, the neutron sensitive material including at least one of tantalum (Ta) or thulium (Tm).
A method of fabricating a neutron detector, the method comprising:
- fabricating a microchannel plate, comprising:
- fabricating a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels, including doping glass with a neutron sensitive material comprising at least one of tantalum (Ta), or thulium (Tm), and forming the structure using the glass doped with neutron sensitive material;
- and
- attaching an input electrode and an output electrode to the microchannel plate.
A method of detecting neutrons, the method comprising:
- using a microchannel plate to capture a neutron and generate at least one reactant particle, the microchannel plate comprising a glass plate having a structure that defines the microchannel, the glass plate comprising glass having less than 25 mol % lead (Pb), the glass comprising a neutron sensitive material comprising at least one of tantalum (Ta) or thulium (Tm);
- detecting secondary electrons that are generated based on an interaction between the reactant particle and a layer of electron emissive material on the wall of the microchannel;
- and
- generating a first signal indicating detection of a neutron.
An apparatus comprising:
- a microchannel plate comprising a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels;
- and
- layers of materials disposed on walls of the microchannels, the layers including a first layer of a first neutron sensitive material, a second layer of a second neutron sensitive material, a layer of semiconducting material, and a layer of electron emissive material, in which the first neutron sensitive material is different from the second neutron sensitive material, and in which the first neutron sensitive material comprises at least one of boron, lithium, or gadolinium, and the second neutron sensitive material comprises at least one of erbium, neodymium, tantalum, lutetium, or thulium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.