Intrinsically Directional Fast Neutron Detector
First Claim
1. A directional fast neutron detector, comprising:
- a. a plurality of layers of material arranged in an order, each of the plurality of layers having a predetermined thickness and a composition selected from the group consisting of;
i. a hydrogenous non-scintillating converter material operable to produce a recoil proton when a fast neutron is incident therein;
ii. a non-hydrogenous scintillating material operable to generate a scintillation light when the recoil proton loses energy therein; and
iii. a non-hydrogenous non-scintillating barrier material operable to act as a barrier to passage of the recoil proton therethrough; and
b. at least one light collection device located along the periphery of the layers for producing a signal when the scintillation light generated by the non-hydrogenous scintillating material is incident thereon,wherein the composition, order, and thickness of each of the plurality of layers allows the general direction of incoming incident fast neutrons to be established.
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Abstract
A directional fast neutron detector having superposed layers of a hydrogenous non-scintillating material for generating recoil protons, a non-hydrogenous scintillating material for generating scintillations, and a non-hydrogenous non-scintillating barrier material, in which the layers are placed in a specific order at regular intervals and the composition and thickness of the layers can be varied in order to alter the efficiency and sensitivity of the system. The detector exhibits both intrinsic and geometric directionality. The intrinsic directionality will depend primarily on the materials selected and the thicknesses of the individual layers, while the geometric directionality will depend primarily on the size and shape of detector. The detector of the invention provides a compact, relatively easy to use, directional neutron detector for use in locating and monitoring special nuclear materials and other sources of fast neutrons.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A directional fast neutron detector, comprising:
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a. a plurality of layers of material arranged in an order, each of the plurality of layers having a predetermined thickness and a composition selected from the group consisting of; i. a hydrogenous non-scintillating converter material operable to produce a recoil proton when a fast neutron is incident therein; ii. a non-hydrogenous scintillating material operable to generate a scintillation light when the recoil proton loses energy therein; and iii. a non-hydrogenous non-scintillating barrier material operable to act as a barrier to passage of the recoil proton therethrough; and b. at least one light collection device located along the periphery of the layers for producing a signal when the scintillation light generated by the non-hydrogenous scintillating material is incident thereon, wherein the composition, order, and thickness of each of the plurality of layers allows the general direction of incoming incident fast neutrons to be established. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A directional fast neutron detector, comprising:
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a. a plurality of layers of a hydrogenous non-scintillating converter material operable to produce a recoil proton when a fast neutron is incident therein; b. a plurality of layers of a non-hydrogenous scintillating material operable to generate scintillation light when the recoil proton loses energy therein; and c. a plurality of layers of a non-hydrogenous non-scintillating barrier material operable to act as a barrier to passage of the recoil proton therethrough, wherein the plurality of layers of materials are arranged in an order, each of the plurality of layers having a predetermined thickness, and wherein the composition, order, and thickness of each of the plurality of layers allows the general direction of incoming incident fast neutrons to be established. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for detecting fast neutrons, comprising:
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a. providing a fast neutron detector, wherein the detector comprises a plurality of layers of material arranged in an order, each of the plurality of layers having a predetermined thickness and a composition selected from the group consisting of; i. a hydrogenous non-scintillating converter material operable to produce a recoil proton when a fast neutron is incident therein; ii. a non-hydrogenous scintillating material operable to generate a scintillation light when the recoil proton loses energy therein; and iii. a non-hydrogenous non-scintillating barrier material operable to act as a barrier to passage of the recoil proton therethrough; b. providing at least one light collection device for producing a signal when the scintillation light generated by the non-hydrogenous scintillating material is incident thereon; and c. determining the general direction of the incoming incident fast neutrons according to the composition, order, and thickness of each of the plurality of layers. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification